Dental Panoramic Radiographs as Early Signs of Osteoporosis in Pre and Post Menopausal Women – An Observational Study

Abstract

Osteoporosis is defined as “a skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass and micro architecturaldeterioration of bone tissue leading to enhanced bone fragility, with consequent increase in fracture risk”. Anosteoporotic fracture is an outcome of trauma to bone of compromised strength, commonly first occurringin the vertebral bodies and distal radius, both sites composed predominantly of medullary (trabecular) bone.Osteoporosis is an extremely common disease affecting most women during their lifetime. Osteoporosisreduces bone density, affecting the bone mass and strength without altering the basic chemical composition.Declining estrogen levels during and after menopause lead to increase bone resorption and increased urinaryexcretion of calcium. Thus, estrogen deficiency plays a primary role in osteoporosis, accounting for up toone half of the bone lost during a women’s lifetime.Oral signs of osteoporosis might be manifested by excessive alveolar ridge resorption, tooth loss, chronicdestructive periodontal disease, referred maxillary sinus pain, or fracture.Radiographic evaluation of post-menopausal women and patients with advanced renal failure demonstratedthe loss of cortical bone at the mandible.The purpose of the study is to evaluate relationship between various oral signs the probability of thisrelationship excising in certain patients and to access cortical bone thickness measurements using panoramicradiographs.