Background: CBCT is a 3D scan designed for head and neck imaging. This technology offers advantages over traditional CT in dentistry, including limited radiation dose, cost, and a more reliable method for linear measurements. However, CBCT has poorer contrast resolution, so a soft tissue cone-beam computed tomography (ST-CBCT) was created to enhance the quality of soft tissue images.
Purpose: Evaluation of the effect of tube current on the accuracy of measurement of different gingival thicknesses of the mandible.
Material and Methods: The graduated periodontal probe was utilized by two examiners to measure the thicknesses of 1 and 3 mm of pink baseplate wax, which was applied as a soft tissue simulation in various regions of a dry mandible in this in vitro investigation. These thickness measurements were obtained twice, perpendicular to the bone surface and one week apart. CBCT scans with 4 and 10 mA and a FOV of 50 × 100 mm were used to scan the dry mandible, and the results were evaluated against gold standard measures.
Results:
There is a significant statistical difference between the CBCT measurements and the physical measurements using 4 mA and 10 mA and FOV 50 × 100 mm in detecting 1 mm thickness of wax; however, no significant difference is discovered when the thickness was 3 mm.
Conclusions: Both 4 mA and 10 mA with a small FOV of 50 × 100 are more recommended for measuring gingival thickness of 3 mm but less recommended for measuring gingival thickness of 1 mm.