Statistical Analysis of Different Parameters for Closed- and Open-Mouth Methods
| 95% confidence interval of difference | ||||||
| Parameter | Mean | SD | SEM | Lower | Upper | P |
| Anatomic localization | 1.19 | 0.20 | −1.97 | −1.15 | <0.05 | |
| Closed mouth | −1.5 | |||||
| Open mouth | 6 | |||||
| Extent | 1.02 | 0.17 | −1.94 | −1.23 | <0.05 | |
| Closed mouth | −1.5 | |||||
| Open mouth | 9 | |||||
| Detection of tumor involvement with adjacent structures | ||||||
| Closed mouth | −1.7 | 1.17 | 0.20 | −2.11 | −1.30 | <0.05 |
| Open mouth | 1 | |||||
| Involvement of lymph nodes | ||||||
| Closed mouth | −0.0 | 0.17 | 0.03 | −0.09 | 0.03 | NS |
| Open mouth | 3 | |||||
| Total | ||||||
| Closed mouth | −4.8 | 2.92 | 0.50 | −5.90 | −3.86 | |
| Open mouth | 8 | |||||
NS = not significant.
Significant difference exists between scores obtained with open-mouth method and scores obtained with closed-mouth method for all parameters, except for lymph node evaluation.