Considerations in the use of cone-beam computed tomography for buccal bone measurements.

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has become a popular modality in research, but it can be misused and misunderstood. Several image quality, bone biology, and statistical factors must be considered before designing CBCT studies or interpreting their results. Studies making small measurements, such as changes in buccal bone thickness, are especially susceptible to these factors. The spatial resolution as determined by a line pair phantom, the CBCT settings used, and a statistical power analysis should be reported in studies that investigate small bony changes. Protocols should therefore be established and followed to minimize the misinterpretation of results and improve the quality of research in this field.