Investigating of Differences in the Mandibular Inferior Cortical Thickness on Digital Panoramic Image in women at Different Age Groups

Abstract

Panoramic images provide the dental clinician with a survey of anatomy of the jaws. Recent studies suggest that mandibular cortical thickness on panoramic images may be useful in identifying women with low bone mineral density. Panoramic radiographic measurements are considered as indicator of bone turnover. Changes in the thickness of mandibular inferior cortex can be attributed to many factors.The most important aim was to correlate differences in the thickness of mandibular inferior cortex in women regarding , menopausal status and menopausal age, pregnancies, and history of backache using digital panoramic image.A total sample of 199 apparently healthy Iraqi women attending the Dental Teaching Hospital in Al- Mosul city were considered. Each woman was subjected to dental panoramic image. Their ages ranged between (20 – 72) years. The total sample were collected during the period from November 2006 to April 2007 .The information from each woman was recorded in special case sheet. Calibration of the image was done by using known length stainless steel wire fixed in bite piece to be within the center of focal trough anteriorly. The digital dental panoramic image was taken and the thickness of mandibular inferior cortex in the right and left sides were measured and recorded using digital panoramic image measurement tools. All results were obtained under the run of the statistical software MINITAB release 11.12 32 Bit with R-square and t- test.It has been found that age explains 38.4% of the total variability of the changes in mean thickness of mandibular inferior cortex. The results of the one-way analysis of variance test indicated that elder age groups have highly significantly lower mean thickness of mandibular inferior cortex than younger age groups, which emphasize the fact that this is an age related phenomenon (highly significant inverse relation), while pregnancies explains 10.2% of the total variability of the changes in mean thickness of mandibular inferior cortex (highly significant inverse relation). The results of the two-sample t-test indicated that women with history of backache are experience more changes in the mean thickness of mandibular inferior cortex than other women (highly significant relation). For the menopausal age our study show that 21.4% of the total variability of the changes in mean thickness of mandibular inferior cortex related to menopausal age (highly significant inverse relation). Postmenopausal women areto have highly significantly lower mean thickness of mandibular inferior cortex thanpremenopausal women.Because oral health is an integral part of general health, oral problems indigenousto the female population have to be addressed. Hormonal fluctuations affect more thana woman’s reproductive system. Puberty, menses, pregnancy, and menopause allinfluence a woman’s oral health and the way in which dental professionals shouldapproach her dental treatment. Therefore, factors like menopausal status and age,number of pregnancies, history of backache together with age, were considered in thisstudy which has direct effect on mean thickness of mandibular inferior cortex inwomen.