Influence of Posterior Mandibular Dimensions on Alveolar Bone Microarchitecture

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of posterior mandibular dimensions (height and width at various levels) on alveolar bone microarchitecture using microcomputed tomography (micro-CT).

Partially edentulous subjects with one missing molar were included in the study. A bone core biopsy was performed at the site of planned implant surgery. For each patient, alveolar morphologic and architectural characteristics were analyzed using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and micro-CT imaging. Two parameters for height (apicocoronal residual height [RH] and residual ridge from inferior alveolar canal [RHN]) and three for buccolingual width (residual width at 5 mm [RW1], at 10 mm [RW2], and at 15 mm [RW3]) were determined using CBCT. Additionally, 10 parameters were obtained from micro-CT to determine microarchitecture. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the correlation between the morphologic and microarchitectural variables.

Significant positive correlations (P < .05) were found between RH and bone volumetric fraction (BV/TV) (r_s = 0.34) and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) (r_s = 0.45). A significant negative correlation was found between RH and the bone-specific surface (BS/BV) (r_s = -0.34). A strong significant negative correlation was found between trabecular spacing (Tb.Sp) and RW1 (r_s = -0.42). None of the other variables reached statistical significance.

Posterior mandibular dimensions may affect bony architectural characteristics.