G A V M Geerts1, M E Stuhlinger, D G Nel. 1. Division of Prosthodontics, School for Oral Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, South Africa. gavmg@sun.ac.za
Abstract
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Measuring vertical dimension is a soft-tissue measurement. Therefore, inaccuracy may occur. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare the accuracy of the Willis gauge method with the caliper method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Willis gauge measures the distance between the septum of the nose and the chin. The caliper method measures the distance between reference points on the tip of the nose and the chin. Twenty predoctoral students applied both methods 10 times in measuring the rest vertical dimension (RVD) and the occlusal vertical dimension (OVD) of a single edentulous patient. The measurements obtained from one experienced clinician were selected as controls for the interocclusal distances (IOD) for the Willis and the caliper methods, respectively. One-sided t tests and a 1-sided nonparametric test were used to determine significant differences between the 2 methods (alpha=.05). RESULTS: The variances in the RVD values for the Willis gauge method were higher than for the caliper method for most students. A Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that the accuracy of the OVD measurements for the caliper method was significantly better than for the Willis gauge method (P=.001). This was not the case for the RVD measurements (P=.073). The average IOD for the Willis method was significantly higher than the control IOD (P=.026). The average IOD for the caliper method was not significantly larger than the control (P=.1303). CONCLUSION: This study showed that the use of the caliper method by predoctoral students was a significantly more reliable method of measuring the OVD for the patient evaluated.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Measuring vertical dimension is a soft-tissue measurement. Therefore, inaccuracy may occur. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare the accuracy of the Willis gauge method with the caliper method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Willis gauge measures the distance between the septum of the nose and the chin. The caliper method measures the distance between reference points on the tip of the nose and the chin. Twenty predoctoral students applied both methods 10 times in measuring the rest vertical dimension (RVD) and the occlusal vertical dimension (OVD) of a single edentulous patient. The measurements obtained from one experienced clinician were selected as controls for the interocclusal distances (IOD) for the Willis and the caliper methods, respectively. One-sided t tests and a 1-sided nonparametric test were used to determine significant differences between the 2 methods (alpha=.05). RESULTS: The variances in the RVD values for the Willis gauge method were higher than for the caliper method for most students. A Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that the accuracy of the OVD measurements for the caliper method was significantly better than for the Willis gauge method (P=.001). This was not the case for the RVD measurements (P=.073). The average IOD for the Willis method was significantly higher than the control IOD (P=.026). The average IOD for the caliper method was not significantly larger than the control (P=.1303). CONCLUSION: This study showed that the use of the caliper method by predoctoral students was a significantly more reliable method of measuring the OVD for the patient evaluated.
Authors: Juan Huamani; Romel Watanabe; Jose Huamani; Doris Salcedo-Moncada; Daniel Alvitez-Temoche; Frank Mayta-Tovalino Journal: J Int Soc Prev Community Dent Date: 2021-04-15