DIAGNOSTIC RELIABILITY OF THE RATE OF ALVEOLAR CREST RESORPTION, ANTEGONIAL INDEX AND MENTAL INDEX FROM DIGITAL PANORAMIC RADIOMORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS IN OSTEOPOROSIS DIAGNOSIS AND THEIR COMPARISON TO THE DEXA

Introduction

The aim of the study is to compare the effects of alveolar crest resorption amount, antegonial index and mental index from digital panoramic radiomorphometric analyses with the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) values between the control group and patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Materials and methods

A total of 100 postmenopausal women aged between 45-72 years were included in the study, their bone mineral density values were measured with DEXA and grouped into osteoporosis, osteopenia and normal.  The digital panoramic radiographs were received from all individuals. The rate of alveolar crest resorption, antegonial and mental index values were measured in normal, osteoporotic and osteopenicindividuals through panoramic radiographs and compared to the bone mineral density values measured in DEXA.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference between the control and patients with osteopenia for the rate of alveolar boneresorption. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the antegonial and mental index values.(P<0.001)

Conclusion

Antegonial and mental index measurements can be used to distinguish between normal individuals and patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis. However, alveolar crest resorption measurement is not appropriate to distinguish between normal individuals and patients