Correlation between alveolar bone level and mandibular trabecular Pattern In Periodontitis Patients Of Belgaum: A Radiological Survey

Abstract

Introduction – Bone is a living, dynamic tissue, which undergoes remodelling throughout life, especially in adults. Deterioration of bone microarchitecture involves changes in the thickness and number of trabeculae, separation of trabeculae, and morphometric changes in the trabecula. Some studies suggest that changes in bone metabolism are reflected more so in the trabecular pattern rather than the bone mineral density. To further explore this, a short-study was carried out to investigate radiographically the relationship between the alveolar bone level and different trabecular bone patterns in periodontitis patients. Materials and Methods – A set of panoramic radiographs of 30 subjects was taken from radiology section, which included both males and females. Average alveolar bone level in a quadrant was calculated for each patient. Trabecular bone in the mandibular premolar area was categorised using Taguchi et alcriteria. The two variables were analysed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient and regression analysis models. Result – A significant positive correlation was found between alveolar bone loss and density of trabecular pattern. Conclusion–With increasing grade of trabeculation, a larger alveolar bone loss can be expected. This may prove to be useful in preventing tooth loss as well as in implant planning. KeyWords: alveolar bone, trabecular bone pattern, panoramic radiographs.