Hello!
I’m a dentist currently working on a project where I’m measuring tooth torque, specifically the angle of the root. I’m looking for some guidance regarding which tools and measurement methods would be most appropriate to use.
I would really appreciate any advice or recommendations from someone with experience in this area. Thank you!
Hello!
I would first clarify whether you mean orthodontic “tooth torque,” that is, the buccolingual inclination of the tooth/root, or mechanical torque/moment in a biomechanical sense.
If you mean tooth or root inclination, then 3D Slicer can probably help. A possible workflow would be to import CBCT data, segment the target tooth/root and jaw, create 3D models, define the long axis of the tooth or root, define a reference plane, and then measure the angle between them.
For segmentation, you may want to try the DentalSegmentator extension in 3D Slicer. It can automatically segment dental CT/CBCT volumes, including the maxilla, mandible, upper teeth, lower teeth, and mandibular canal. The result should still be checked and manually corrected when accuracy is important.
If you mean biomechanical torque, such as torque moment, stress distribution, or torque expression produced by brackets/wires/aligners, then Slicer alone is probably not enough. In that case, Slicer is mainly useful for the first part of the workflow: segmentation and 3D model generation. The actual mechanical simulation would usually require CAD/mesh-processing software and finite element analysis software such as ANSYS, Abaqus, etc.
For example, in a recent 3D finite element study of orthodontic torque expression, the authors created 3D models of brackets and a maxillary central incisor, assigned material properties, converted the models into finite element models, and simulated torque movements using ANSYS. In such a workflow, Slicer could potentially be used for the image-based segmentation/model creation part, but not for the full biomechanical simulation.
So I would first define the measurement target very clearly:
Are you measuring a root angle, or simulating a mechanical torque?
What is the tooth/root axis?
What is the reference plane?
Do you need to model periodontal ligament, alveolar bone, brackets, wires, or aligners?
Do you need simple angular measurements, or finite element analysis?
Once these definitions are clear, Slicer can be very useful for CBCT visualization, segmentation, landmark placement, and 3D model creation. For biomechanical torque analysis, I would recommend collaborating with an engineer or researcher experienced in finite element analysis.
Hope this helps.
Thank you so much for your answer! It really helps! We are going to measure tooth/root inclination. Have you done it before with 3D-slicer?