title: Evaluation of the relationship between periapical lesions/sclerotic bone and general bone density as a possible gauge of general health among 80-year-olds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence among 80-year-olds of periapical lesions as detected on panoramic radiographs and to determine the relationship between sclerotic bone around the periapical lesions to heel bone density, body height, and hand-grip strength.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six hundred fifty-nine panoramic radiographs (262 males, 397 females), obtained from 80-year-old residents of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, were used for evaluation of periapical lesions. These findings were correlated with physical examination results to determine the relationship to general health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 659 panoramic radiographs, 31 (5%) were noted to have periapical lesions. Average size of the 31 periapical lesions was 6.1 +/- 2.2 mm. Of the 31 periapical lesions, 21 (68%) were accompanied by linear or diffuse types of sclerotic bone. Of the 21 sclerotic bones, 10 (48%) were of a linear type of sclerotic bone and 11 (52%) of a diffuse type of sclerotic bone. Of the 11 diffuse types of sclerotic bone, 10 (91%) were in the mandible and 1 (9%) in the maxilla. Periapical lesions in the mandible were more frequently accompanied by a diffuse type of sclerotic bone than those in the maxilla (P < .01). The hand-grip strength of those having periapical lesions, accompanied by a diffuse type of sclerotic bone, was stronger than those having no periapical lesions (P < .01) and those accompanied by a linear type of sclerotic bone (P < .03). However, there was no relationship between presence of sclerotic bone and heel bone density or body height.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Periapical lesions accompanied by a diffuse type of sclerotic bone were more frequently seen in the mandible of 80-year-olds. To evaluate the clinical significance of sclerotic bone around periapical lesions in 80-year-olds, further study to evaluate the significance of endodontic treatment needs to be done.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Radiology, Kyushu Dental College, Manazuru, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu, Japan. t-ohba@kyu-dent.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohba
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ansai
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Tatsurou
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kito
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamasaki
authors.forename: Sumio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akifusa
authors.forename: Tadamichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takehara
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001827:Body Height; D015519:Bone Density; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010026:Osteosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic