How accurate is 3d dental scanning in measuring gum thickness compared to other common methods?
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN47332588 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN47332588 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | EK Nr:1132/2011 |
- Submission date
- 17/07/2025
- Registration date
- 11/09/2025
- Last edited
- 11/09/2025
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Oral Health
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
This study aims to find out how accurately cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) - a 3D dental scanning technique - can measure gum thickness compared to other widely used methods like bone sounding, using an ultrasonic probe, or a digital caliper. Accurately measuring gum thickness is important for planning dental treatments such as implants, orthodontics, and gum surgery.
Who can participate?
Adults (18 years and older) who are scheduled for oral surgery (for example, root resection or dental implant therapy) at the University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna
What does the study involve?
Participants undergo gum thickness measurements at a specific point on their gum using four different techniques:
1. CBCT scan (while wearing a special mouth splint for accurate positioning)
2. Bone sounding (after local anesthesia, using a small probe)
3. Ultrasonic probe
4. Digital caliper (after a gum flap is lifted during surgery)
All measurements are taken under standardized conditions before planned surgery.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants may not directly benefit, but the study will help improve gum assessment methods for future dental treatments, making diagnosis and treatment planning easier and less invasive.
All procedures (except the CBCT scan) are part of standard surgical care. The main additional procedure is the CBCT scan, which involves a small increase in radiation exposure, but this is minimized and within dental safety standards. Discomfort during standard gum measurements is minor and brief.
Where is the study run from?
Medical University of Vienna (Austria)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2012 to July 2012
Who is funding the study?
Medical University of Vienna (Austria)
Who is the main contact?
Prof. Gabriella Dvorak, gabriella.dvorak@meduniwien.ac.at
Contact information
Public, Scientific
Sensengasse 2 A
Vienna
1090
Austria
 ORCID ID |
0000-0003-3325-013X |
|---|---|
| Phone | +43 (0)1400704720 |
| selma.dervisbegovic@meduniwien.ac.at |
Principal Investigator
Sensengasse 2 A
Vienna
1090
Austria
| Phone | +43 (0)1400704720 |
|---|---|
| gabriella.dvorak@meduniwien.ac.at |
Study information
| Study design | Single-center diagnostic accuracy study |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Observational |
| Secondary study design | Cross sectional study |
| Study setting(s) | Dental clinic |
| Study type | Diagnostic |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Accuracy of cone beam computed tomography in gingival thickness measurement |
| Study objectives | Although cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is used to evaluate bone volume, it would be beneficial to also measure gingival thickness at the same time. The purpose of this research was to determine whether or not gingival thickness measurement carried out with CBCT is reliable. |
| Ethics approval(s) |
Approved 10/01/2012, Ethics Committee of the Medical University of Vienna (Borschkegasse 8b/6, Wien, 1090, Austria; +43 (0)1 40400 21470; ethik-kom@meduniwien.ac.at), ref: EK Nr: 1132/2011 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Gingival thickness measurement |
| Intervention | Gingival thickness at the buccal aspect was assessed using four methods: 1. Cone beam computed tomography 2. Bone sounding 3. Ultrasonic device 4. Digital caliper Local anaesthesia was administered before all measurements. Bone sounding was performed immediately after radiography using CBCT with the thermoplastic splint in situ. A thermoplastic splint was positioned in the mouth, hence a measurement point was tagged on the gingiva using a gingival marker pen. Bone sounding was performed to measure the distance to the bony surface. The gingival thickness was measured immediately after elevation of a mucoperiosteal flap twice from two different investigators with a digital caliper on the marked position. Within 15 minutes, all four measurement methods were evaluated in a standardized setting and in the order specified in the evaluation process. |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure | Gingival (gum) thickness at the buccal aspect, measured in millimeters using: 1. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) 2. Bone sounding (gold standard/transgingival probing) 3. Ultrasonic probe 4. Digital caliper All measurements are taken at a single timepoint during preoperative assessment (before any surgical intervention, after local anesthesia, within a 15-minute window per patient) |
| Secondary outcome measures | There are no secondary outcome measures |
| Overall study start date | 10/01/2012 |
| Completion date | 30/07/2012 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Upper age limit | 90 Years |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 41 |
| Total final enrolment | 41 |
| Key inclusion criteria | Consecutive patients requiring surgical dental procedures (e.g., root resection or implant placement) involving flap elevation |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Pregnant women 2. Lactating women 3. Patients below the age of 18 years |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/02/2012 |
| Date of final enrolment | 15/07/2012 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Austria
Study participating centre
Vienna
1090
Austria
Sponsor information
University/education
Spitalgasse 23
Vienna
1090
Austria
| Phone | +43 (0)140160-0 |
|---|---|
| office-unizahnklinik@meduniwien.ac.at | |
| Website | https://www.meduniwien.ac.at |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/05n3x4p02 |
Funders
Funder type
Not defined
Government organisation / Local government
- Alternative name(s)
- Medical University of Vienna, MediUni Wien
- Location
- Austria
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 01/10/2025 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Data sharing statement to be made available at a later date |
| Publication and dissemination plan | Planned publication in a peer-reviewed journal |
| IPD sharing plan | The data-sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date |
Editorial Notes
17/07/2025: Study's existence confirmed by the Ethics Committee of the Medical University of Vienna.
