title: Rotational panoramic versus intraoral rectangular radiographs for evaluation of peri-implant bone loss in the anterior atrophic mandible.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Dental School, University of Vienna, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Oral Implantology, Vienna, Austria. werner.zechner@univie.ac.at
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zechner
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watzak
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gahleitner
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Busenlechner
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tepper
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watzek
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants