USG imaging in orthodontics

Abstract

Ultrasonography (USG) has been utilized in several areas of medicine, to date. Recently, USG is beginning to take attention in dentistry, as a safe, noninvasive, ionize radiation-free, cost-effective, and dynamic imaging modality. Ultrasound is promising that it can be used in many areas in the orthodontic treatment stages, including diagnosis, treatment, and posttreatment, but there is limited information in relation to some applications. The use of USG is identified and discussed in the fields of masticatory muscles, tongue and swallowing, airway, temporomandibular joint, soft tissue thickness, pubertal growth and bone age estimation, midpalatal suture evaluation, periodontal changes during orthodontic tooth movement, and tooth movement and root resorption. This chapter will evaluate the current studies in the literature investigating the use of ultrasound imaging in many orthodontic practices, examine the results from the most common to the latest and shed light on new studies.