Assessing the Interdental Septal Thickness in Alveolar Bone Grafting Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography

To assess the interdental septal thickness of grafted bone bridges using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Of 71 patients with cleft lip and/or palate having undergone alveolar bone grafting for the first time at least 6 months previously, 52 patients with 57 grafted sites rated type I or II based on the Bergland scale using occlusal radiographs were selected.

CBCT was performed for each bone-grafted alveolar cleft within 1 week after the occlusal radiographs were taken.

The thickness of the grafted bone bridge was evaluated using CBCT according to the relationship between crest thickness and the root width of cleft-adjacent teeth, and the results were classified into four categories, with scores of 1 to 4 indicating that the thickness of the bony bridge was ≥100%, ≥75%, ≥50%, and <50% of the root width of the cleft-adjacent teeth, respectively.

Of the 34 grafted sites rated type I on the Bergland scale, 15 (44.12%), 10 (29.41%), 4 (11.76%), and 5 (14.71%) clefts were scored 1 to 4 on interdental septal thickness using CBCT, respectively. Of the 23 cases of type II, 3 (13.04%), 9 (39.13%), 1 (3.45%), and 10 (43.48%) clefts were scored 1 to 4, respectively.

The interdental septal thickness of grafted bone bridges with clinically successful heights based on the Bergland scale (type I or II) using occlusal radiographs varied significantly in the evaluation using CBCT.