Alternative cone-beam computed tomography method for the analysis of bone density around impacted maxillary canines

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Orthodontics
• Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology

Background:

• Maxillary canine impaction has known genetic and environmental causes.
• Trabecular bone characteristics in the impaction area were previously unexamined.
• This study investigates alveolar bone surface area and fractal dimension in impacted canines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the surface area and fractal dimension of alveolar bone.
• To compare these characteristics between impacted and non-impacted sides in patients with maxillary canine impaction.
• To utilize cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for detailed bone analysis.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of pre-orthodontic treatment CBCT scans from 49 participants with impacted maxillary canines.
• Acquisition of CBCT images using specific parameters (120 kV, 5 mA, 8.9s exposure, 0.3mm voxel size).
• Assessment of 64x64-pixel regions of interest for bone area and fractal dimension using ImageJ software.

Main Results:

• The maxillary bone area was significantly higher on the impacted side in unilateral impactions (P=0.0227).
• No significant difference in fractal dimension was observed between impacted and non-impacted sides (P=0.9822).
• General linear mixed model tests confirmed increased bone area on the impacted side (P=0.1062).

Conclusions:

• Maxillary alveolar bone area is greater on the side of impacted canines compared to the non-impacted side.
• Alveolar bone area, not fractal dimension, is a distinguishing characteristic in maxillary canine impaction.
• CBCT imaging provides valuable insights into the bone morphology associated with impacted teeth.