Evaluation of mandibular inferior cortex changes in patients candidate for liver and kidney transplantation using panoramic view

Abstract

Background: The number of patients with chronic liver failure (CLF) or chronic kidney disease (CKD) referred to dental clinics are increasing. However, there are few studies about the effect of these diseases on jaw bones. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the inferior mandibular cortex changes of the patients with CLF and CKD that are candidate for liver and kidney transplantation, in panoramic views. Patients and Methods: Panoramic radiographs were obtained from 83 patients with a history of CLF and 43 patients with CKD who were undergoing the assessment for transplantation and also 126 control cases. The mean was calculated for the width of inferior mandibular cortex. The relationship between the thicknesses of the inferior mandibular cortex with the duration of disease was determined using Pearson’s correlation coefficient test. T and chisquare tests were used for evaluating the inferior cortex of the mandible according to age and sex, respectively. Results: Compared with the control group, the means of the cortical thickness in CLF and CRF patients were significantly different (P < 0.001). There was a significant relationship between cortical thickness and gender in CLF (P = 0.007) and CRF patients (P = 0.029). Neither the duration of the disease and nor age was associated with mandibular thickness changes in CLF and CRF patients (P = 0.79). Thickness of the inferior mandibular cortex in premolar area was more than that in molar area and thickness of molar was greater than that of the mandibular angle in CKD and CLF patients. This latter was similar to that in normal subjects. Conclusion: Compared with normal population, a decrease in the thickness of inferior mandibular cortex is observed in CKD and CLF patients. This decrease is not affected by age and duration of the disease but is meaningfully related to sex, especially females.