A semi-automated computer-assisted method for measuring bone loss adjacent to dental implants.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a repeatable method for measurement of bone support around root form and blade implants suitable for use in high-quality but unstandardized radiographs. 10 phantoms were fabricated to simulate progressive osseous defects around implants. Radiographs were taken in triplicate and digitized. Specialized software was written which placed a grid of known dimensions over the implant so that the top and the bottom of the grid were at the neck and the base of the implant, respectively. The investigators selected the edge of the bone at each point where the grid intersected the implant and the software automatically detected the implant edge. The software also outlined and displayed the defect on the computer monitor. Measurements were performed 5 times and the standard deviation was taken as a measure of the repeatability of the method. Repeatability for blades and root forms was 0.19 +/- 0.07 mm and 0.08 +/- 0.03 mm, respectively. There was no significant difference in the ability to measure bone loss in the blade versus the root form (p = 0.17, NS). These results indicate that this semi-automated computer-assisted method for measuring bone loss around implants is repeatable and may be of value for clinical trials using either root form or blade implants.