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Updated: May 30, 2026
07:56
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Bone mineral density
Mariana Marquezan1, Thiago Chon Leon Lau, Claudia Trindade Mattos
1Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Department, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. marianamarquezan@gmail.com
The Angle Orthodontist
|July 22, 2011
Summary
Cortical bone mineral density (BMD) significantly impacts orthodontic miniscrew primary stability, correlating with insertion torque and pull-out force. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) show strong correlation for total bone BMD measurement.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Biomaterials
- Radiology
Background:
- Primary stability of orthodontic miniscrews is crucial for successful treatment.
- Bone mineral density (BMD) is a key factor in bone implant anchorage.
- Accurate BMD measurement methods are essential for predicting implant stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if cortical, trabecular, and total bone BMD influence miniscrew primary stability.
- To assess the correlation between BMD measurements obtained via cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).
Main Methods:
- Bovine bone sections were used to evaluate BMD using CBCT and DEXA.
- Miniscrews were inserted into bone sections, and insertion torque (IT) and pull-out strength (PS) were measured.
- Pearson correlation analysis was employed to assess relationships between BMD and stability parameters.
Main Results:
- A strong positive correlation was found between total bone BMD measured by CBCT and DEXA (r=0.866).
- Cortical bone BMD significantly influenced miniscrew insertion torque (r=0.518) and pull-out strength (r=0.713).
- Trabecular bone BMD and total bone BMD (by both methods) showed weak, non-significant correlations with primary stability.
Conclusions:
- Cortical bone BMD is a significant predictor of orthodontic miniscrew primary stability.
- CBCT and DEXA are reliable methods for measuring total bone BMD, showing strong correlation.
- While total bone BMD is measurable, cortical bone characteristics are more influential for miniscrew anchorage.
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