The pattern of bone destruction in periodontal disease is classified to horizontal and vertical bone resorption.
To explain the causes of vertical bone resorption, various theories have been proposed and they may be classified as follows:
1) Occlusal traumatism with local irritation
2) Food impaction
However, detailed process of vertical bone resorption by those individual factors has not been clarified yet.
The purpose of this study is to get fundamental facts of vertical bone resorption. For this clinical examination, 21 patients with 51 vertical bone resorption were examined. The sites were limited in molar areas and front teeth were excluded.
As the result of this study, the following conclusions were observed.
1) The majority (40%) of vertical bone resorption were seen in mesial site of the first molars of the maxilla and mandible.
2) Within 51 vertical bone resorptions, 28 (55%) were associated with food impaction, 35 (69%) with traumatic occlusion, and 20 (39%) with both.
3) Within of 28 food impaction, 9 (32%) were vertical food impaction and 19 (68%) were lateral food impaction.
