Aim: This diagnostic quality and accuracy study is to compare CBCT images and conventional radiographic images in the assessment of different types of mandibular fractures. 

Materials and Methods: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the importance of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for the accurate diagnosis of mandibular fractures in comparison with conventional imaging. Six patients with varying traumatic injuries that resulted in eleven mandibular fractures were included in this study, all patients were of both sexes and their ages ranged between 5-40 years. All cases were subjected to radiographic imaging using panoramic radiographs and other conventional extra-oral imaging views according to the size and type of fracture and Cone Beam Computed Tomography. Kappa statistic was used, and the significance level was set at P ≤ 0.05. Statistical analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics Version 20 for windows. (® IBM Corporation, NY, USA.® SPSS, Inc., an IBM Company). 

Results: For the 3D image site and number of fracture lines, the modality accurately detected all cases. Sensitivity and diagnostic accuracies were 100% and 100%, respectively. Specificity couldn’t be computed because there are no negative cases, while for the 2D images sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for detecting fracture were 81.8% and 81.8% respectively. Sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for detecting the number of fracture lines were 90.9% and 90.9% respectively. 

Conclusion: CBCT views are the techniques of choice for highlighting the nature of fracture by directly viewing the extent of the fracture, as well as the degree and direction of displacement if present.

Keywords: CBCT, Extraoral conventional imaging, Mandibular fractures, Three-dimensional imaging, Panoramic imaging

Abbreviation: CBCT: Cone Beam Computed Tomography