ABSTRACT
PURPOSE@#Masticatory loading triggers active bone remodeling, altering alveolar bone mineral density (BMD). While dental implants are placed to bear masticatory loading, their influence on changing bone properties has not been fully investigated. Objective of this pilot study was to examine whether the dental implantation has an effect on BMD distribution of bone by comparing dentate, edentulous, and edentulous patients with implants. @*MATERIALS AND METHODS@#Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 19 partially edentulous patients (Dent), 19 edentulous patients (Edent), and 16 edentulous patients who received implants in the mandible (Edent+Im), were obtained. CBCT images were also obtained from 5 patients within Edent+Im group, before implant placement and after implant loading. Basal cortical bone region of the mandible was digitally isolated. A histogram of gray levels proportional to BMD was obtained to assess mean, histogram standard deviation (HSD), fifth percentile of low and high values (Low5 and High5) of the BMD distribution. Multivariate analysis of variance and paired t-test were used to compare the BMD parameters among the 3 dental status groups and between pre- and post-implantation, respectively. @*RESULTS@#Edentulous patients with implants had significantly greater HSD and High5 values compared to edentulous patients (P .097). Mean, HSD, and High5 values significantly increased after receiving implants (P < .022). @*CONCLUSION@#The current findings suggested that receiving dental implants promoted oral bone mineralization for edentulous patients. The longitudinal investigation could provide valuable information on understanding the effects of implantation on the behavior of oral bone quality.
ABSTRACT
Mineral density distribution of bone tissue is altered by active bone modeling and remodeling due to bone complications including bone disease and implantation surgery. Clinical cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been examined whether it can assess oral bone mineral density (BMD) in patient. It has been indicated that CBCT has disadvantages of higher noise and lower contrast than conventional medical computed tomography (CT) systems. On the other hand, it has advantages of a relatively lower cost and radiation dose but higher spatial resolution. However, the reliability of CBCT based mineral density measurement has not yet been fully validated. Thus, the objectives of this review are to discuss 1) why assessment of BMD distribution is important and 2) whether the clinical CBCT can be used as a potential tool to measure the BMD. Brief descriptions of image artefacts associated with assessment of gray value, which has been used to account for mineral density, in CBCT images are provided. Techniques to correct local and conversion errors in obtaining the gray values in CBCT images are also introduced. This review can be used as a quick reference for users who may encounter these errors during analysis of CBCT images.