Cortical bone thickness and density: inter-relationship at different orthodontic implant positions

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective This study was conducted to assess the relationship between cortical bone density and thickness at numerous orthodontic implant positions in the maxilla and mandible. Materials and methods Fifty computed tomography scans were examined in this study. The sample size consisted of 25 males and 25 females. Blue Sky Plan® software was used to measure buccal, palatal and lingual bone density and thickness at four proposed orthodontic implant levels in maxilla and mandible. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to evaluate relationships between bone thickness and density (p < 0.05). Results In the maxilla, a significant negative correlation was detected between buccal cortical bone density and thickness in the distal site of first premolar at 2 and 6 mm and second premolar at 6 mm from cemento-enamel junction. In palatal side, significant positive correlation was recorded at the mesial site of central incisor and the distal site of second premolar at 2 mm. In the mandibular buccal bone, significant positive correlations were recorded in 4, 6 and 8 mm at the distal site of first premolar, second premolar and first molar. Whereas, in lingual bone, significant positive correlations were found in all inter-radicular areas’ posterior to first premolars except at 4 mm in the distal site of first molar. Conclusion From this study, we found that there is a significant correlation between quantity and quality of cortical bone in specific inter-radicular areas of the buccal, palatal and lingual sides of maxilla and mandible. This inter-relationship could be helpful in determining orthodontic implant position.