Panoramic radiomorphometric parameters in Polish patients

Panoramic radiographs are frequently applied in dental radiodiagnostics and might serve as a tool for identification of a subject's bone mass. Only in a few publications can data on men, younger subjects and larger groups of patients be found. No such data are available for the Polish population; therefore, the aim of the study was to determine normal ranges of panoramic radiomorphometric parameters and examine the influence of gender and age on them. The material consisted of 877 digital panoramic radiographs taken in patients aged 20 to 95 years (mean 48.69 years), including 467 females and 410 males. Panoramic parameters such as mandibular height (H) and distance between inferior margin of mental foramen and inferior mandibular cortex (h), which are used for calculation of panoramic radiomorphometric indices, were estimated and the obtained results were subjected to statistical analysis. Gender influenced H and h, while it was found that H was age-dependent and h values were similar in all age groups. When age and gender were discussed simultaneously, the highest values of H were observed in the age group 30-39 years in both genders, followed by a gradual decrease with age. However, in females this decrease was more intense than in males. The elaborated norms of panoramic radiomorphometric parameters and indices in the Polish patients may serve as a source of comparison for radiological and clinical applications.