title: The alveolar bone height of the primary and first permanent molars in healthy 6- to 9-year-old Jordanian children.
abstract: To establish a threshold cemantoenamel junction (CEJ)-alveolar bone crest (ABC) distance in healthy 6- to 9-year-old Jordanian children and determine the effect of pathological changes, physiological changes, gender, and age on the CEJ-ABC distance.
  
  
  
  Bitewing radiographs were made for 539 6- to 9-year-old children. Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), calculus index (CI), DMFS score, and pocket depth were all assessed through clinical examination. CEJ-ABC distance was measured from radiographs at the mesial surface of permanent first molars (PFM), and the mesial and distal surfaces of primary molars.
  
  
  
  The CEJ-ABC distance ranged from 0.00 to 4.49 mm, the mean for all surfaces was 0.84 ± 0.44 mm, no gender or age group differences were found. The mesial surface of the PFMs had the smallest mean CEJ-ABC distance. The CEJ-ABC distances were greater in the maxilla than in the mandible. No significant effect of PI, GI or CI on CEJ-ABC distance was found. Caries, faulty restorations, exfoliation, and partial eruption adjacent to measured surfaces had significant effect on the CEJ-ABC distance.
  
  
  
  The mean CEJ-ABC distance was <1 mm. Threshold CEJ-ABC distances of 1.0 and 1.5 mm for PFMs and primary molars, respectively, are suggested to be used in 6- to 9-year-old children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Oral Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid, Jordan. ghaidaa@just.edu.jo
authors.forename: Ghaida
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Al Jamal
authors.forename: O B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Al-Batayneh
authors.forename: Dima
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hamamy
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000145:classification; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000145:classification; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D005260:Female; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008963:Molar / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009811:Odontometry / Q000379:methods; D009911:Oral Hygiene Index; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000145:classification; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing; D012737:Sex Factors; D019237:Tooth Cervix / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014078:Tooth Eruption; D014080:Tooth Exfoliation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging