title: Ultrasound analysis of mental artery flow in elderly patients: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mental artery flow decreases with age and may have an aetiological role in alveolar ridge atrophy. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with alterations of mental artery flow, assessed by ultrasonography.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case-control study was conducted on elderly patients (aged above 60 years) at the beginning of dental treatment. Intraoral B-mode Doppler ultrasonography was used to assess mental artery flow. The cases were defined as patients with a weak/absent ultrasound signal, whereas the controls presented a strong ultrasound signal. Demographics and radiographic findings (low bone mineral density on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and mandibular cortical index on panoramic radiographs) were analysed as risk factors for weak/absent ultrasound signal and were calculated as adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using conditional logistic regression. In addition, the Student's t-test was used to compare the mean alveolar bone height of the analysed groups. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 30 ultrasound examinations (12 cases and 18 controls) were analysed. A weak/absent mental artery pulse strength was significantly associated with edentulism (AOR = 3.67; 95% CI = 0.86-15.63; p = 0.046). In addition, there was a significant difference in alveolar bone height between edentulous cases and controls (p = 0.036).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limitations of this study, the present results indicate that edentulism is associated with diminished mental artery flow, which, in turn, affects alveolar bone height.
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral Radiology Division, School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marina G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Baladi
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral Radiology Division, School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raul R C M
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Tucunduva Neto
authors.affiliation: 2 Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA.|3 Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Arthur R G
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Cortes
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral Radiology Division, School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral Radiology Division, School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Emiko S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Arita
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral Radiology Division, School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudio F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Freitas
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000368:Aged; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008334:Mandible / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000379:methods; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000379:methods; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Doppler ultrasonography; edentulism; mental artery