Methods: The pre-surgical and 4 month post-surgical CBCT synthesized lateral cephalograms of 13 patients were collected. By using 2 dimensional Dolphin imaging and 3 dimensional Maxilim software, the post-surgical profile predicted. The position of soft tissue land marks in profile views were compared with the same landmarks in digitized post-surgical lateral chephalograms.The data were analyzed with coefficient of reliability and paired sample T-test.
Results: The alpha of interclass correlation for each landmark in X and Y planes were between 0.96 -0.99 except for Stom-S in Maxilim which was 0.83. The confidence interval of 95% and the absolute mean of error revealed that the systematic error of Dolphin software was higher than Maxilim but the differences were not significant (p>0.05) except for vertical position of soft tissue A point. Maximum errors were seen in chin region.Prediction errors of Nasolabial and Mentolabial angles were higher; Dolphin prediction error was 9 degrees which has clinical significance.
Conclusions: Based on the study results, Dolphin and Maxilim soft ware are both appropriate for clinical use, Maxilim is more accurate and because it has the potential to predict in 3 planes, is more usful in specific clinical situations such as asymmetry problems.