Index is one of the most important analyses in orthodontic treatment planning. It shows if there is a correct proportion in size between the maxillary and mandibular teeth. In this study we compared the digital and traditional method.
Methods: 35 dental casts were measured using a Vernier caliper. The mean value was compared with the measurements from the scanned images of the dental casts.
Results: The results showed that the digital method provided similar results with those of the traditional one with a mean difference of 0.23 mm. The Pearson correlation coefficients were very high and similar to each other: R = 0.989 and R = 0.988 for the Anterior Bolton Index (ABI) and Overall Bolton Index (OBI), respectively. No statistically significant differences were present from either the ANOVA or the paired t-tests.
Conclusion: The used digital method is as accurate as the traditional one, it is faster and easier to carry out and it offers all the advantages of image storage and data for subsequent use.