Comparative Evaluation of Cephalometric Analysis for Assessing Sagittal Jaw Relationship
Keywords:
Cephalometric analysis, Sagittal jaw relationship, ANB angle, Wits appraisal, Beta angle, Yen angle, W angle, Skeletal classificationAbstract
Background: Assessment of sagittal jaw relationship is crucial in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. Various cephalometric parameters such as ANB angle, Wits appraisal, Beta angle, and Yen angle are commonly used, each with inherent limitations. This study aims to comparatively evaluate the reliability and diagnostic accuracy of multiple cephalometric analyses in determining the sagittal relationship of jaws.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective cephalometric study was conducted using lateral cephalograms of 90 subjects aged 16–25 years, divided equally into three groups based on clinical diagnosis: Class I, Class II, and Class III skeletal patterns. Five cephalometric parameters—ANB angle, Wits appraisal, Beta angle, Yen angle, and W angle—were measured using Dolphin Imaging software. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: Mean ANB angle values were 2.5° ± 0.6 for Class I, 5.8° ± 0.9 for Class II, and -1.4° ± 0.7 for Class III. Wits appraisal showed values of -1.0 mm ± 0.8 (Class I), +3.2 mm ± 1.1 (Class II), and -4.5 mm ± 1.0 (Class III). Beta angle ranged from 27.5° ± 1.2 (Class II) to 35.6° ± 1.3 (Class III), while Yen angle and W angle also demonstrated significant differences across all groups (p<0.001). Among all parameters, the Beta angle showed the highest consistency with clinical diagnosis, followed closely by W angle.
Conclusion: While all five cephalometric parameters provided valuable insights into sagittal jaw discrepancies, Beta angle and W angle proved to be more reliable and consistent across different skeletal classes. These findings support the use of multiple analyses for comprehensive assessment in orthodontic treatment planning
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