Aging and cortical bone density of mandible with CBCT

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate changes of mandibular cortical bone with age using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Materials and methods: We reviewed the CBCT images of 202 patients who were examined in mandibular region by CBCT. The patients were classified into 2 age groups: young group (≦50 years; 51 male (age range 13-50 years, mean age 27.6 years) and 73 female (age range 11-50 years, mean age 30.0 years)) and elderly group (＞50 years; 22 male (age range 53-74 years, mean age 63.8 years) and 56 female (age range 51-82 years, mean age 66.3 years)). The relationship between age and mandibular cortical bone radiographic density as gray values using CBCT was assessed by Pearson's rank correlation test. Regarding age groups, mandibular cortical bone radiographic density using CBCT was performed with one-way repeated measures analysis of variance with Tukey's HSD test.

Results: Cortical bone radiographic density in female using CBCT was significantly correlated to age (Y = -6.741X + 1,946, R² = 0.351, P = .000). Furthermore, the cortical bone radiographic density in young female (1,754 ± 144) was significantly higher than that in young male (1,554 ± 164, P = .000), elderly male (1,533 ± 115, P = 0.000) and elderly female (1484 ± 228, P = .000).

Conclusions: The present study confirmed the changes of mandibular cortical bone with age in female using CBCT. Furthermore, the evaluation of mandibular cortical bone using CBCT can be helpful in intercepting patients at risk of reduced bone mineral density.