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JACIII Vol.29 No.2 pp. 325-336
doi: 10.20965/jaciii.2025.p0325
(2025)

Research Paper:

Automated Impaction Angulation Measurement of Mandibular Third Molars for Winter’s Classification Using Deep Learning

Md. Anas Ali*, Daisuke Fujita* ORCID Icon, Hiromitsu Kishimoto** ORCID Icon, Yuna Makihara**, Kazuma Noguchi**, and Syoji Kobashi*,† ORCID Icon

*Graduate School of Engineering, University of Hyogo
2167 Shosha, Himeji, Hyogo 671-2280, Japan

Corresponding author

**Hyogo Medical University
1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8501, Japan

Received:
November 23, 2024
Accepted:
January 4, 2025
Published:
March 20, 2025
Keywords:
deep learning, teeth segmentation, key point detection, orthopantomogram (OPG), winter’s classification of teeth impaction
Abstract

Impacted third molar extraction, particularly of mandibular teeth, is a common procedure performed to alleviate pain, infection, and misalignment. Accurate diagnosis and classification of impaction types are crucial for effective treatment planning. This study introduces a novel algorithm for automatically measuring the impaction angles of mandibular third molars (T32 and T17) from orthopantomogram (OPG) images. The proposed method is based on deep learning techniques, including segmentation and key point detection models. It categorizes impactions into Winter’s classification: distoangular, mesioangular, horizontal, vertical, and other on both sides, using the measured angles. The proposed method used 450 OPGs, achieving high mandibular molar segmentation accuracy with dice similarity coefficients (DSC) values of 0.9058–0.9162 and intersection over union (IOU) scores of 0.82–0.84. The object keypoint similarity (OKS) for detecting the four corner points of each molar was 0.82. Angle measurement analysis showed 80% accuracy within ±5° deviation for distoangular impaction of T32 and within ±8° for T17. The F1-scores for mesioangular classifications were 0.88 for T32 and 0.91 for T17, with varying performance in other categories. Nonetheless, the predicted angles aid in identifying impaction types, showcasing the method’s potential to enhance dental diagnostics and treatment planning.

Block diagram of the proposed method

Block diagram of the proposed method

Cite this article as:
M. Ali, D. Fujita, H. Kishimoto, Y. Makihara, K. Noguchi, and S. Kobashi, “Automated Impaction Angulation Measurement of Mandibular Third Molars for Winter’s Classification Using Deep Learning,” J. Adv. Comput. Intell. Intell. Inform., Vol.29 No.2, pp. 325-336, 2025.
Data files:
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Last updated on Apr. 24, 2025