Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Bone density measurements in intra-oral radiographs

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Clinical Oral Investigations Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Jaw bone density measurements are applicable in many clinical situations to assess bone tissue. To be able to implement research findings in clinical reality, tools must be simple and low cost. Intra-oral radiographs including a reference material perform well as a densitometric tool. However, the inclusion of a reference material, usually in the form of a metal wedge, is an additional burden for the dentist. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a reference step wedge is required for accurate densitometric results. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements and densitometric measurements on intra-oral radiographs using a custom-made software were performed on bone samples from the premolar region of the mandible. Observer agreement of bone density expressed as grey value was high. The correlation between mandibular bone mineral density and the densitometric values on intra-oral radiographs was substantially higher when the aluminium step wedge was included. The Wilcoxon test revealed no significant difference between the density measurements using nine or three steps of the Al reference wedge. Density determination of grey value and mm Aleq thickness value both have good intra- and inter-observer agreement. However, jaw bone densitometry is far more accurate when including a reference wedge.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aranyarachkul P, Caruso J, Gantes B, Schulz E, Riggs M, Dus I, Yamada JM, Crigger M (2005) Bone density assessments of dental implant sites: 2. quantitative cone-beam computerized tomography. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 20:416–424

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Choel L, Last D, Duboeuf F, Seurin MJ, Lissac M, Briguet A, Guillot G (2004) Trabecular alveolar bone microarchitecture in the human mandible using high resolution magnetic resonance imaging. Dento-maxillo-facial Radiol 33:177–182

    Google Scholar 

  3. Corten FG, Van ‘t Hof MA, Buijs WC, Hoppenbrouwers P, Kalk W, Corstens FH (1993) Measurement of mandibular bone density ex vivo and in vivo by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Arch Oral Biol 38:215–219

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Dervis E (2005) Oral implications of osteoporosis. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endo 100:349–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Devlin H, Horner K, Ledgerton D (1998) A comparison of maxillary and mandibular bone mineral densities. J Prosthet Dent 79:323–327

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Dural S, Ozbek M, Kanli A, Orhan K, Kanbur NO, Derman O, Delilbasi C (2005) Evaluation of mandibular bone density to predict osteoporosis in adolescents with constitutional delayed growth. Saudi Med J 26:1235–1239

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Du Tré F, Jacobs R, Styven S, van Steenberghe D (2006) Development of a novel digital subtraction technique for detecting subtle changes in jawbone density. Clin Oral Investig 10:235–248

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Geraets WG, van der Stelt PF (2000) Fractal properties of bone. Dento-maxillo-facial Radiol 29:144–153

    Google Scholar 

  9. Horner K, Devlin H (1998) The relationships between mandibular bone mineral density and panoramic radiographic measurements. J Dent 26:337–343

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Horner K, Devlin H (1998) The relationships between two indices of mandibular bone quality and bone mineral density measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Dento-maxillo-facial Radiol 27:17–21

    Google Scholar 

  11. Jacobs R, Ghyselen J, Koninckx P, van Steenberghe D (1996) Long-term bone mass evaluation of mandible and lumbar spine in a group of women receiving hormone replacement therapy. Eur J Oral Sci 104:10–16

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Jonasson G (2005) Mandibular alveolar bone mass, structure and thickness in relation to skeletal bone density in dentate women. Swed Dent J Suppl 177:1–63

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Knezovic-Ziataric D, Celebic A (2003) Mandibular bone mineral density changes in complete and removable partial denture wearers: a 6-month follow-up study. Int J Prosthodont 16:661–665

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Law AN, Bollen AM, Chen SK (1996) Detecting osteoporosis using dental radiographs: a comparison of four methods. J Am Dent Assoc 127:1734–1742

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Lindh C, Petersson A, Rohlin M (1996) Assessment of the trabecular pattern before endosseous implant treatment: diagnostic outcome of periapical radiography in the mandible. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endo 82:335–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Nackaerts O, Jacobs R, Pillen M, Engelen L, Gijbels F, Devlin H, Lindh C, Nicopoulou-Karayianni K, van der Stelt P, Pavitt S, Horner K (2006) Accuracy and precision of a densitometric tool for jaw bone. Dento-maxillo-facial Radiol 35:244–248

    Google Scholar 

  17. Nicholson PHF, Lowet G, Langton CM, Dequeker J, Van Der Perre G (1996) A comparison of time-domain and frequency domain approaches to ultrasonic velocity measurements in trabecular bone physics in medicine biology. Phys Med Biol 41:2421–2435

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Shapurian T, Damoulis PD, Reiser GM, Griffin TJ, Rand WM (2006) Quantitative evaluation of bone density using the Hounsfield index. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 21:290–297

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Stoppie N, Pattijn V, Van Cleynenbreugel T, Wevers M, Vander Sloten J, Ignace N (2006) Structural and radiological parameters for the characterization of jawbone. Clin Oral Implants Res 17:124–133

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Trouerbach WT, Steen WT, Zwamborn AW, Schouten HJ (1984) A study of the radiographic aluminium equivalent values of the mandible. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 58:610–616

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. von Wowern N (2001) General and oral aspects of osteoporosis: a review. Clin Oral Investig 5:71–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. White SC (2002) Oral radiographic predictors of osteoporosis. Dento-maxillo-facial Radiol 31:84–92

    Google Scholar 

  23. White SC, Atchison KA, Gornbein JA, Nattiv A, Paganini-Hill A, Service SK, Yoon DC (2005) Change in mandibular trabecular pattern and hip fracture rate in elderly women. Dento-maxillo-facial Radiol 34:168–174

    Google Scholar 

  24. Yang J, Chiou R, Ruprecht A, Vicario J, MacPhail LA, Rams TE (2002) A new device for measuring density of jaw bones. Dento-maxillo-facial Radiol 31:313–316

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a research and technological development project grant from the European Commission FP5 ‘Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources’ (QLK6-2002-02243). Grateful acknowledgement is given to Herman Borghs from the department of Bone Metabolic Disease.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Jacobs.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nackaerts, O., Jacobs, R., Horner, K. et al. Bone density measurements in intra-oral radiographs. Clin Oral Invest 11, 225–229 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-007-0107-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-007-0107-2

Keywords

Navigation