ORAL RADIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN SICKLE CELL DISEASE PATIENTS

Abstract

Sickle cell disease causes vascular microinfarcts that lead to multi-organs alterations including dental involvements. Teeth, oral structures, and maxillofacial bones are affected. Dental alterations of oral and maxillofacial bones are of anatomical, radiographical, and structural significance. Due to compensatory hematopoiesis, hemolysis, and vaso-occlusive events in the maxilla and mandible, bony changes are noticed radiographically in SCD patients. Seven oral radiographic features were reported in the literature among SCD patients: large trabecular spaces, increased medullary spaces, thinning of the inferior mandibular border (osteoporosis), interproximal alveolar bone staircase pattern, thickening of lamina dura, resorption in alveolar bone, and radiopacities/osteosclerosis. Mandibular Hypo-vascularity can induce osteomyelitis and osteonecrosis in SCD patients. Mandibular osteomyelitis can be followed by osteosclerosis (radiopacities) if proper healing is achieved. In this study, we obtained multiple radiographs of 35 SCD patients to 1)determine the common radiographic features seen in SCD patients and 2)assess the seven radiographic features reported in the literature. Results Some SCD patients demonstrated more than one radiographic feature, while other SCD patients manifest no radiographic findings. The most common feature was the staircase pattern and the least common was osteoporosis. A detailed table of the number of SCD patients presented with notable radiographic features is presented in this poster, in addition to a comparison between the common and uncommon features. Conclusion not all SCD patients demonstrate oral radiographic findings, and among the oral radiographic findings reported in the literature, some features are more common than others. Hopefully, 50 or more SCD patients will be included in the study for further evaluation. Furthermore, an equal number of radiographs of competent patients will be examined randomly from Kuwait University's bank of radiographs to serve as a control group. Therefore, we will be able to determine if the reported oral radiographic features are suggestive of SCD or not.