Trabecular Bone Ratio of Mandible Using Micro-Computed Tomography in Korean

Abstract

Cortical bone and trabecular portion play important roles in maintaining the general structure of bone. It has been reported that a decrease in bone mineral density is related with increasing age, sex, and teeth loss. However, most of the studies were done with conventional radiographic analysis. In addition, data from Korean population are rare. The aim of this study was to analyze trabecular pattern of the mandible using micro-computed tomography. Thirty-nine specimens of the mandible were prepared. Specimens were scanned with micro-computed tomography and reconstructed three-dimensionally. Sections were made parallel to the axis of each tooth. Trabecular bone ratio (TBR) was measured. Data were statistically analyzed with 1-way analysis of variance (alpha = 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference of TBR between dentate and edentulous mandibles in the molar region. Trabecular bone ratio of edentulous mandible in males was greater than that in females. Trabecular bone ratio of dentate mandibles reduced regularly with increasing age, whereas that of edentulous mandibles did not. It could be concluded that there were statistically significant differences in TBR according to presence of tooth, sex, and increasing age on specific areas.

Trabecular bone ratio of the mandibular condyle according to the presence of teeth: a micro-CT study

“…Bone loss commences at the age of about 35 years, and continues at diVerent rates throughout life [6]. In the present study, the TBR did not diVer between the dentate and the edentulous subjects, although an age-related decrease in the TBR has been reported [23]. Age-related changes of mandible were well explained in previous studies.…”

“…The results of this study indicate that the TBR values of mandibular condyles are signiWcantly higher in dentate subjects than in edentulous subjects. One study of the TBR of the mandibular body found that the TBR diVered signiWcantly between dentate and edentulous groups in the molar region [23]. TBR was measured in this study to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD).…”

Sex-related Differences in Cortical and Trabecular Bone Quantities at the Mandibular Molar

“…However, the present study indicated that the mandibular trabecular bone density does not differ by sex and is not altered with increasing age, which is consistent with previous mandibular findings using CT 16) . A previous cadaveric study involving micro-CT also showed that the trabecular bone ratio at the mandibular molars did not differ by sex and was not correlated with age in dentate subjects 17) . Considering the above, the trabecular bone density would be unlikely to exhibit sex-related differences or age-dependent changes in dentate mandibles.…”

“…It may have resulted because of the limited sample size. A previous study using CT described that the trabecular bone ratio had greater values at the molars in dentate mandibles than in edentulous mandibles 17) ; however, a comparison between the dentate and the edentulous sides was not performed in the same subjects. The edentulous conditions were not limited in the partial molar regions, and furthermore, some subjects probably lost teeth early in their lives.…”

“…In orthopedics, architectural data assessed by CT has gradually clarified the details regarding sex-and age-related changes in the cortical and trabecular bones of the limbs and spine [13][14][15] . In dentistry, on the other hand, only 1 clinical study 16) and 1 cadaveric study 17) performed assessments using CT only for trabecular bone; it remains to be elucidated whether there are sex-and age-related differences in the exact quantities of cortical and trabecular jaw bones.…”