A method for structural mandibular superimpositioning.

Abstract

Structural mandibular superimpositioning on stable natural references has gained wide acceptance in the orthodontic literature. However, accurate instructions that provide a simple step-by-step procedure are not readily available. Considering the specific method described here and assuming stability of the natural reference structures, a reliable procedure for marking two artificial references (simulating "implants") on mandibles in a longitudinal series of cephalograms appears to be possible. In essence, the method is based on the construction of a template, drawn on a small auxiliary tracing sheet, which contains only information relevant for structural mandibular superimpositioning plus error checks. This template is subsequently superimposed on the radiographs in a longitudinal series by the structural method, which permits the transference of two fiducial points. These fiducial points consequently replace the images of metallic implants and thus facilitate local superimpositioning of mandibles. It is a convenient method for longitudinal growth research as well as for any two successive records in the clinical situation.