Rotational panoramic versus intraoral rectangular radiographs for evaluation of peri-implant bone loss in the anterior atrophic mandible.
OBJECTIVE
In patients with atrophic mandibles, elevation of the floor of the mouth often prevents intraoral rectangular radiography for longitudinal follow-up studies, while extraoral techniques such as panoramic radiographs tend to produce distorted views of the interforaminal region. In this study, intraoral rectangular radiographs and panoramic radiographs were compared for their accuracy in evaluating peri-implant bone loss.


METHODS
In a recall program, 22 patients with 88 screw-type implants (44 MKII and 44 Frios) were followed. Interforaminal marginal bone loss was evaluated by extraoral orthopantomograms and by intraoral rectangular radiographs. In addition, pocket depth, Periotest readings, and bleeding on probing were recorded. For statistical analysis, the Spearman coefficient of correlation was used. The effects on bone loss and clinical variables were computed with a mixed model and the Bland and Altman method.


RESULTS
Computed as least square means, the mean difference between panoramic radiographs (2.4 +/- 0.2 mm for MKII implants and 1.6 +/- 0.2 mm for Frios implants) and intraoral radiographs (2.6 +/- 0.2 mm and 1.4 +/- 0.2 mm, respectively) was 0.2 mm (range, 0.1 to 0.8 mm).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, the 2 imaging techniques were comparable clinically in terms of the precision with which they could be used to measure marginal bone loss.


CONCLUSIONS
For highly atrophic mandibles with unfavorable imaging conditions, rotational panoramic radiographs can be a useful alternative to intraoral small-format radiographs for evaluating peri-implant bone loss.
Zechner
Werner
W
Department of Oral Surgery, Dental School, University of Vienna, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Oral Implantology, Vienna, Austria. werner.zechner@univie.ac.at
Watzak
Georg
G
Gahleitner
André
A
Busenlechner
Dieter
D
Tepper
Gabor
G
Watzek
Georg
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001284:Atrophy; D015921:Dental Implants; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016348:Osseointegration; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000145:classification; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012399:Rotation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D015921:Dental Implants