Abstract
The purpose of this study was to clarify the correlation between the bone mineral density of cancellous bone in the jawbone and the grading of the bone quality by operative findings in implant patients. The jawbones of 53 implant patients (15 males and 38 females), 150 sites (maxilla: 50 sites, mandible: 100 sites) were analyzed by the preoperative Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) examination. The oral surgeons categorized the bone quality in four grades based on the operative findings (tactile sense). Statistical analyses were performed and the bone mineral densities of cancellous bone were compared with the grades of the bone qualities.
The results were as follows:
1. The bone mineral density of cancellous bone of males was significantly higher than that of females (p＜0.05). The bone quality of females was significantly poorer than that of males (p＜0.05).
2. The bone mineral density of cancellous bone of the maxillae tended to be lower than that of the mandibles. The bone quality of the maxillae was significantly poorer than that of the mandibles (p＜0.05).
3. There was a significant correlation between the bone mineral density of cancellous bone and the bone quality in the implant patients (p＜0.05, r=-0.60).
These results demonstrated that the measurement of the bone mineral density of cancellous bone in the implant patients from the preoperative Quantitative Computed Tomography examination had the potential to diagnose the bone quality of the implant sites.
