Alveolar bone levels in a geriatric Swedish population

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Gerontology
• Periodontology

Background:

• Marginal bone levels are crucial indicators of periodontal health in the elderly population.
• Assessing bone levels in older adults is essential for understanding long-term oral health outcomes.
• Previous studies have highlighted the impact of aging on bone density and periodontal support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the marginal bone levels in a representative sample of non-institutionalized elderly individuals in Orebro County, Sweden.
• To identify factors associated with marginal bone levels in this demographic.
• To establish baseline data on periodontal bone health in the Swedish elderly population.

Main Methods:

• A random sample of non-institutionalized elderly individuals was selected from Orebro County, Sweden.
• Intra-oral radiographs were used to measure marginal bone levels.
• Bone levels were quantified using a scoring system based on remaining bone height relative to the cemento-enamel junction and tooth apex.

Main Results:

• Over 87% of teeth exhibited bone scores of 1 or 2, indicating more than 60% of original bone remained.
• Approximately 50% of teeth had a bone score of 1, signifying over 80% of original bone intact.
• Subjects receiving regular dental treatment showed lower average bone level indices compared to those without regular treatment.
• Younger elderly individuals (65-74 years) demonstrated better bone level classifications than older groups.
• A higher percentage of subjects in better bone level classes had more remaining teeth.
• The number of remaining teeth was the sole significant predictor of the bone level index in regression analysis.

Conclusions:

• The majority of the studied elderly population in Sweden exhibits favorable marginal bone levels.
• The number of remaining teeth is a key determinant of periodontal bone health in older adults.
• Regular dental treatment, while important, showed a less significant direct correlation with bone level index compared to tooth retention.