A comparison between digital dental radiographs and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scans for the measurement of bone density

Purposes of this study were to develop a simple radiographic method incorporated into a routine dental examination to measure maxillary and mandibular alveolar bone density (BMD) and to determine if the alveolar process BMD could predict the vertebral and/or femoral BMD.; Fifty dentate Caucasian females, 31 to 87 years old had dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans of the total proximal femur, L1 to L4 lumbar spine, and total body on a Lunar IQ densitometer. Periapical digital radiographs of the posterior and anterior maxilla and posterior mandible, and posterior vertical bitewing digital radiographs were taken on all participants with a new device. Aluminum equivalent units (Al Eq U) were converted to g/cm 2. Digital radiographs of interproximal regions of interest (ROI) apical to the alveolar crest were analyzed with ImageJ software (Rasband, 2004).; Correlations revealed relationships between lumbar spine and posterior maxilla (pMX) BMD (r = .350, p < .01), anterior and posterior maxilla (a/pMX) BMD averaged (r = .349, p < .05), and maxilla and mandible (MX/MN) BMD averaged (r = .366, p < .05). Correlations revealed relationships between the proximal femur BMD and pMX BMD (r = .383, p < .005), the a/pMX BMD averaged (r = .322, p < .05), and MX/MN BMD averaged (r = .315, p < .027). Significant relationships were also found for total body BMD and pMX BMD (r = .463, p < .001), a/pMX BMD averaged (r = .397, p < .005), and MX/MN BMD averaged (r = .395, p < .005).; Results showed that pMX and a/pMX BMD were statistically significant in predicting proximal femur, spine, and total body BMD. Distal of the first molar of the mandible and mesial of the second bicuspid of the maxilla were shown to be statistically significant in predicting post-cranial BMD. Results showed a trend of alveolar process BMD lower than lumbar spine or total body BMD in the third and fourth decade groups of females. A trend was also apparent that difference between alveolar process BMD and lumbar spine or total body BMD neared zero in the 7th decade females. In all intraoral areas measured, BMD increased between the 6th and 7 th decade groups. This same trend was seen in data produced by Southard (2004). The alveolar BMD of 7th decade females was equivalent to the BMD of the lumbar spine and the total body of 3rd and 4th decade females. In this study, the maxillary BMD was significantly related to post-cranial BMD and maxillary alveolar process BMD proved to be an early predictor of post-cranial BMD.