Feasibility of measuring palate bone thickness and bone mineral density using spiral computed tomography

Minghua HU; Congbo MI; Gang LI

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Palatal implant could be an effective type of anchorage that can afford long-term stress, and bone thickness and bone density of the implant placement will affect the success of the implant stability. Presently, actinoscopy commonly used in stomatological clinic cannot provide the precise information of palatal bone thickness and bone mineral density such as toroidal slide plate photograph and skull lateral projection.

OBJECTIVE:

To measure the thickness and density of median palatine suture, and to provide the consultation for implant anchorage using spiral CT. DESIGN, TIME AND

SETTING:

A measurement study was performed at the Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from July to December in 2008

PARTICIPANTS:

The sample consisted of 194 cases undergoing 64 slice CT at the Medical Imaging Center of First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, including the scope of the hard palate and maxillary dentition. They were aged from 18 to 50, and divided into three groups by age, 18-30-year-old group, 31-40-year-old group, and 41-50-year-old group.

METHODS:

Measurement of palatal raphe area first three-dimensional reconstruction of images at up to nasion plane centerline, whichever was determined as a reference surface plane, selection one point on incisor cervix in this line, to measurement of the available palatal bone height; sagittal views were selected at 6 mm dorsally from the incisive canal. The available bone height was defined as the distance from the palatal baseline (lower cortical border of the palate) to the nasal cavity (upper cortical border of the nasal cavity). Bone mineral density can also be measured at the same site, take the average of the cortical and cancellous bone. MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

The palatal bone thickness and bone thickness density were measured at 6 mm dorsally from the incisive canal.

RESULTS:

Male in the palatal bone thickness and bone mineral density were significantly higher than female (P < 0.05); there were no significant difference between Han and Uygur (P>0.05). In different age's group of men and women, the palatal bone thickness and bone mineral density showed no statistical difference (P > 0.05). Age, palatal bone thickness and palatal bone mineral density had no significant correlation.

CONCLUSION:

Spiral CT can be used in different parts of mandible thickness and density measurement and analysis. The palate raphe can be implant as orthodontic anchorage if it measured exactly.