Radiographic changes of the jaws in HbSS and HbSC genotypes of sickle cell disease

Abstract

This study used panoramic radiographs to evaluate the presence of radiographic changes in the jaws of a population who had sickle cell disease (SCD). The authors compared the frequency of findings between subjects with and without SCD. Panoramic radiographs of 71 subjects with SCD (36 with HbSS and 35 with HbSC) and 52 healthy controls (HbAA) were evaluated for the presence of the following radiographic alterations: radiopaque areas, increased spacing of bony trabeculae, horizontal arrangement of bony trabeculae, and absence of mandibular canal corticalization. The control group had a significantly smaller number of all the radiographic features evaluated. Differences were not statistically significant between the groups with HbSS and HbSC, except for more trabecular spacing in the molar region in the HbSS genotype, suggesting a possible correlation between radiographic findings and disease presentation.