Alveolar bone loss in patients with long-term supportive care

Radiographic record audits were conducted on 63 patients diagnosed as having periodontitis who had been treated and maintained for 10 years or longer in dental school clinics. Acceptable bite-wing radiographs were available for 50 of these patients. Bite-wing radiographs taken 8 to 34 years apart (mean 14.9 years) were assessed for bone loss. Recall maintenance had been accomplished for 60% of these patients at 6 to 9 month intervals, while 24% had been seen more frequently. The mean annual rate of bone loss was 0.037 mm (range of -0.19 to 0.20). There were no significant differences in bone loss between maxillary/mandibular, molar/premolar, or mesial/distal sites respectively. Alveolar bone loss in this dental school population compares well with other reported studies. Progression of disease as assessed by radiographic bone loss in treated and maintained periodontitis patients is minimal.