Comparison of mandibular bone mineral densities in dentate and edentulous patients.

PURPOSE: In contemporary implant dentistry, bone mineral density (BMD) of the jaws is a patient-associated prognostic factor. The aim of this study was to compare the mandibular body BMD of dentate and edentulous patients using the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 39 patients, 20 dentate and 19 edentulous, were included in this cross-sectional study. Mandibular body BMD was measured using the DXA technique. The variables were normally distributed; thus, the independent samples t-test was used for the determination of statistical significance between the dentate and edentulous groups (age, body mass index [BMI], DXA). Chi-square test was performed for identification of the gender differences between the groups. The Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between age, BMI, and mandibular body BMD. Note that p < 0.01 was accepted as the significance level. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the dentate and edentulous groups in matching variables (age, BMI, and gender) (p > 0.01). There was a statistically significant difference regarding the mandibular body BMD in the dentate and edentulous group (p < 0.01) controlling for age, gender, and BMI. The edentulous group patients had higher mandibular body BMD values (1.27 ± 0.31 g/cm(2)) than those in the dentate group (0.94 ± 0.22 g/cm(2)). CONCLUSION: Comparison of the mandibular body BMD revealed that dentate patients had less dense bone than the edentulous patients. Further investigations are needed to determine the BMD of the jaws in different regions and for different systemic conditions.

New taxa of terrestrial molluscs from Turkey (Gastropoda, Pristilomatidae, Enidae, Hygromiidae, Helicidae).

This paper reports on results of several collecting trips of the authors in Turkey. In the course of this research, a long-lasting question was addressed. It could be proven that the nominal species Bulimus frivaldskyi L. Pfeiffer, 1847 is closely related to Meijeriella canaliculata Bank, 1985, and thus this species is shifted from the genus Ena Turton, 1831, to the genus Meijeriella Bank, 1985. Meijeriella canaliculata Bank, 1985, could be recorded from Turkey for the first time. The nomenclatural situation of the species Euchondrus septemdentatus (Roth, 1839) vs. its replacement name Euchondrus borealis (Mousson, 1874) is discussed. A new arrangement of the species formely comprised in the genus Zebrina Held, 1837 is presented, and the genera Rhabdoena Kobelt & Moellendorff, 1902, and Leucomastus A. Wagner, 1927 are re-established. The following species and subspecies new to science could be described: Vitrea gosteliisp. n. (Pristilomatidae), Turanena demirsoyisp. n., Euchondrus paucidentatussp. n., Rhabdoena gosteliisp. n. (all Enidae), Metafruticicola kizildagensissp. n. (Hygromiidae), and Assyriella thospitis menkhorstissp. n. (Helicidae). For several other species, new distribution records are listed.

Comparison of mandibular bone mineral density in osteoporotic, osteopenic and normal elderly edentulous subjects measured by the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry technique.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the mandibular body bone mineral density according to bone mineral density status of spine and femur measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technique in elderly edentulous individuals. BACKGROUND: One of the factors that affect the survival rate of implants is bone mineral density (BMD) of the jaws. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty edentulous elderly patients' (27 women and 23 men) spine, femur and the mandibular body BMDs were measured using DXA technique. BMD scans of the AP lumbar spine (L2-L3) and femur were classified using World Health Organisation criteria for bone mass. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the normal femur group's-osteoporosis group's mandibular body BMD (p = 0.001) and femoral osteopaenia group's-osteoporosis group's mandibular body BMD (p < 0.001). The femoral osteoporosis group's mandibular body BMDs were lower than those of both the normal femoral and the femoral osteopaenia group subjects'. CONCLUSION: Classification of edentulous mandibles according to low and high bone mineral densities is a problem in implant dentistry. The results of this study demonstrated that femoral bone mineral density status may be used to provide preliminary information about the bone mineral density of the mandibular body region in elderly edentulous subjects.