Thickness of the Buccal Plate in Posterior Teeth: A Prospective Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study

Buccal plate thickness is an important clinical parameter for postextraction implant treatment planning. The purpose of this study was to assess buccal plate thickness of the posterior maxilla and mandible using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). A total of 265 patients and 934 teeth met the inclusion criteria for this study. CBCT volumes were taken and aligned for measurement at the ideal midsagittal cross-section. Buccal plate thickness was measured at 1, 3, and 5 mm apical to the alveolar crest. The frequency of thick (≥ 1 mm), thin (< 1 mm), and radiographic absence of the buccal plate were determined. The frequency of thin buccal plate decreases from anterior to posterior, with first premolars and first molar mesial roots most affected. Radiographic absence of the buccal plate was more common in the mandible, at first premolars, and among women. Thin and absent buccal plate are not uncommon in the posterior jaws; consequently, ridge preservation may be indicated even at posterior teeth.