[Occurrence of vascular canals in alveolar bone]

The authors present the results from the investigation of 414 full-mouth X-rays from periodontally diseased individuals for the occurrence of visible bone canals. The frequency, the form the most frequent location and the age-distribution of the vascular canals as well as the possibility of classifying them according to type and severity of the periodontal disease are discussed. Follow-up examinations in 18 patients, on an average 15 years after the first examination, permit the conclusion that the bone canals cannot be influenced by periodontal treatment, and that they are not associated with the periodontal disease.