Is micro-computed tomography reliable to determine the microstructure of the maxillary alveolar bone?

To analyze the reliability of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to assess bone density and the microstructure of the maxillary bones at the alveolar process in human clinics by direct comparison with conventional stereologic-based histomorphometry.

Analysis of osseous microstructural variables including bone volumetric density (BV/TV) of 39 biopsies from the maxillary alveolar bone was performed by micro-CT. Conventional stereologic-based histomorphometry of 10 bone biopsies was performed by optic microscopy (OM) and low-vacuum surface electronic microscopy (SEM). Percentages of bone between micro-CT and conventional stereologic-based histomorphometry were compared.

Significant positive correlations were observed between BV/TV and the percentage of bone (%Bone) analyzed by SEM (r = 0.933, P < 0.001), by toluidine blue staining OM (r = 0.950, P < 0.001) and by dark field OM (r = 0.667, P = 0.05). The high positive correlation coefficient between BV/TV and trabecular thickness illustrates that a value of BV/TV upper than 50% squares with a bone presenting most of their trabecules thicker than 0.2 mm. The high negative correlation between BV/TV and trabecular separation shows that values of BV/TV upper than 50% squares with a bone presenting most of their trabecules separated less than 0.3 mm each other.

BV/TV assessed by micro-CT correlates with the percentage of bone assessed by conventional stereologic-based histomorphometry. Micro-CT is a reliable technique to determine the bone density and the microstructure of the maxillary alveolar bone at the site of dental implant insertion.