Radiographic features of mandibular trabecular bone structure in hypodontia.
OBJECTIVE
Radiographic parameters of mandibular trabecular bone structure between 67 subjects having hypodontia and those without were studied on digital panoramic radiographs.


METHODS
Three regions of interest (ROI) were defined: the ascending ramus, apical of the mandibular molar and mesial of the first mandibular molar. The effects of the presence of hypodontia and the ROI on the mandibular trabecular bone structure were tested for statistical significance by means of multivariate analysis.


RESULTS
Radiographic parameters of trabecular bone architecture were found to differ between various regions of the mandible (p = 0.000), but not between the group of hypodontia subjects and their controls (p = 0.23). There was no interaction effect between the ROIs and the two groups (p = 0.79). For people having hypodontia, some directional parameters of trabecular bone have a reverse correlation with the number of missing teeth. The fractal dimension and the number and perimeter of white segments in the binarized image correlate positively with the number of congenitally missing teeth.


CONCLUSIONS
A limited number of parameters of radiographic mandibular trabecular bone structure correlate with the number of missing teeth. However, a markable difference in radiographic parameters of mandibular trabecular bone structure between hypodontia and non-hypodontia subjects could not be demonstrated.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontics and Special Dental Care, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands. mcreton@umcutrecht.nl
Marijn
M
Créton
Wil
W
Geraets
Jan Willem
JW
Verhoeven
Paul F
PF
van der Stelt
Hans
H
Verhey
Marco
M
Cune
D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D000848:Anodontia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D015519:Bone Density; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D017709:Fractals; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008963:Molar / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055815:Young Adult