title: Evaluation of volumetry and density of mandibular symphysis bone grafts by three-dimensional computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bone grafting before implant placing can improve the treatment in traumatized or regular implant patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the density and maximum amount of harvestable bone graft in the mandibular symphysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 15 CT-scans were obtained from 15 adult patients (10 male/five female) for the purposes of this study. The CT data, in DICOM format, were read into Mimics software from Materialize (Leuven, Belgium), with a slice thickness of 0.5 mm. The volume, density, and dimensions based on Hounsfield units (HU) were measured on the 3D symphyseal bone graft using Mimics software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average bone volume calculated from the mandibular symphysis was 3491.08 +/- 772.12 mm(3). The average sized corticocancellous block that was measured was 38.75 x 11.05 x 7.80 mm. The mean bone density was 958.95 +/- 98.11 HU.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) in combination with a software program is a reliable means of determining the density of graft, evaluating maximal volume and dimensions of the graft that can be harvested from the mandibular symphysis region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muhammed Selim
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yavuz
authors.forename: Mustafa Cemil
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Buyukkurt
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tozoglu
authors.forename: Ilhan Metin
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Dagsuyu
authors.forename: Mecit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kantarci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000540:Alveolar Ridge Augmentation / Q000379:methods; D015519:Bone Density; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D002680:Chin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D012984:Software; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods