Evaluation of jawbone morphology and bone density indices in panoramic radiographs of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor users: a preliminary study

Are Radiographic Changes in the Mandibular Canal Associated With Bone Mineral Density?

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis, highly prevalent among postmenopausal women, significantly reduces bone density and increases the risk of fractures. Cortical bone, which constitutes the largest calcium deposit in the human skeleton, is primarily affected in various conditions, including osteoporosis. Due to its visibility in panoramic radiography, the cortical area of the mandibular canal could be valuable in assessing decreases in bone mineral density (BMD).

PURPOSE

The study aimed to characterize and compare changes in the cortices of the mandibular canal between normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic postmenopausal women.

STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, SAMPLE

Our cross-sectional study analyzed postmenopausal patients. We included only patients with panoramic radiographs with good quality and who underwent osteoporosis risk assessment by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

BMD was measured by DXA at 3 sites (spine, femur, and forearm) and used to classify the patients into normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic. This classification remained consistent across all measurement sites.

MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE

The main outcome variable was BMD of the mandibular canal cortices measured using black pixel intensity.

COVARIATES

Demographic covariates, including age, weight, height, and BMD, were assessed.

ANALYSES

One-way analysis of variance between groups considering a P < .05. The relationship between covariates and dependent variables was assessed using the Pearson correlation test.

RESULTS

The sample comprised 52 postmenopausal women aged more than 40 years (mean age 61 ± 10 years), 26 (50%) normal, 18 (35%) osteopenic, and 8 (15%) osteoporotic. Significant differences were observed in the percentage of black pixels in the mandibular ramus between the groups. In this region, the average percentage of black pixels was 3.19% (± 0.65) for the normal group, 2.78% (± 0.65) for the osteopenia group, and 2.35% (± 0.65) for the osteoporosis group (P = .015). No significant differences were found in other mandibular regions.

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE

Our findings demonstrate an association between BMD assessed in the mandibular canal cortex and the presence of osteoporosis as determined by DXA. While the observed differences in black pixel percentages in the mandibular ramus are minor, they are statistically significant, suggesting that panoramic radiography may serve as an adjunctive tool for osteoporosis screening.

The effects of vitamin D deficiency on mandibular bone structure: a retrospective radiological study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin D deficiency on the mandibular bone structure by fractal analysis and panoramic morphometric indices.

METHODS

Ninety participants were divided into three groups as 30 individuals with severe vitamin D deficiency, 30 individuals with vitamin D deficiency, and 30 individuals with vitamin D sufficiency. Fractal dimension analysis (FD), panoramic mandibular index (PMI), mandibular cortical index (MCI), and mandibular cortical thickness measurement (CTM) were evaluated on panoramic radiographs.

RESULTS

FD values of the patients with vitamin D deficiency were found to be statistically lower than the patients with vitamin D sufficiency (p < 0.05). FD value of supracortical area above the angulus mandible (FD2) in patients with severe vitamin D deficiency was significantly lower than FD values (p = 0.002). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in the CTM (p > 0.05). PMI was significantly lower in patients with severe vitamin D deficiency (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference in MCI values between the groups (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Vitamin D deficiency causes a decrease in bone mineral density in the mandible, and an increase in alveolar porosity. FD analysis and radiomorphometric indices in panoramic radiographs can be used to assess osteoporotic changes in patients with vitamin D deficiency.

Effects of hyperlipidemia on trabecular and cortical structures of the mandible

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the mandibular bone structure of patients with hyperlipidemia by fractal dimension (FD) analysis and panoramic radiomorphometric indices including mandibular cortical thickness measurement, panoramic mandibular index (PMI), mandibular cortical index (MCI) and to compare with the healthy group.

METHODS

In total, 60 panoramic radiographs were included, including panoramic radiographs of 30 individuals with hyperlipidemia and 30 individuals with systemically healthy. FD analysis in the mandibular condyle, angle of the mandible, the distal side of the second premolar and anterior to mental foramen, PMI, MCI, and mandibular cortical thickness measurements were evaluated on radiographs. Independent samples t-test was used for differences between healthy and hyperlipidemia groups with regard to age and PMI. Repeated measurement of variance with one within and one between factors in the comparison of four regions and two groups in terms of FD and cortical thickness measurements. Following this analysis, significant differences were detected by post-hoc Sidak test. Fisher-Freeman-Halton analysis was applied to determine the relationship between categorical variables.

RESULTS

FD values of the hyperlipidemic patients were found to be lower than the healthy group. Between the hyperlipidemic and healthy groups, there was a difference in the angle of the mandible FD values (p = 0.020). There were no differences in the cortical thickness measurements and PMI between the groups (p > 0.05). There was a difference in MCI values between the groups (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The trabecular structure of the angle of the mandible and the cortical bone structure of the mandible were found to be negatively affected by hyperlipidemia.

The effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors on the human mandible

OBJECTIVES

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are a group of drugs that selectively and strongly block the serotonin transporter. Aim of this study was to evaluate the mandibular bone structure of patients who are using SSRIs with fractal analysis and panoramic morphometric indices [mandibular cortical width (MCW), panoramic mandibular index (PMI) and Klemetti index (KI)] and to compare with control group.

METHODS

Patients who declared using SSRIs for more than six months had been included in the study group. In total, 212 dental panoramic radiographs (DPR) were assessed. For fractal analysis; three regions of interest (ROIs) were determined: ROI1 and ROI2 were chosen within trabecular bone, ROI3 was selected from cortical bone. MCW, PMI, and KI were obtained from DPRs. The study group was categorized into five subgroups of various SSRIs. The fractal dimension (FD) values and panoramic morphometric indices of these subgroups were also compared.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the groups for age and gender (p = 0.57, p = 0.5). There were significant differences in the mean FD values between the study and control groups both for the ROI1 and ROI2 (p < 0.01, p < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the groups for the mean FD value of ROI3, MCW, PMI and KI (p = 0.93, p = 0.98, p = 0.74, p = 0.06). There were no significant differences for all the values between the SSRI subgroups (p = 0.52, p = 0.7, p = 0.76, p = 0.24, p = 0.31, p = 0.08) CONCLUSIONS: Trabecular rich sites of the mandible were found to be affected by SSRI usage.