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Evaluation of mandibular bone density in bruxers: the value of panoramic radiographs
Estelle Casazza1,2,3,4, Benoit Ballester5,6,7, Camille Philip-Alliez5,6,8
1School of Dentistry, Aix-Marseille University, 27 boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385, Marseille, France. estelle.casazza@univ-amu.fr.
Objectives:
This study aimed to establish a difference in mandibular bone density between bruxer and non-bruxer patients, based on panoramic radiographs.
Methods:
Panoramic radiographs of bruxer and non-bruxer patients were analyzed with ImageJ®. Several radiological determinants were studied on the patients' panoramic radiographs: gray values of cancellous bone and cortical bone, and bony exostoses at the mandibular angle.
Results:
Thirty-seven bruxers and forty-seven non-bruxers were included in the study. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was noted in the cancellous to cortical bone ratios of bruxers and non-bruxers: the density of cancellous bone was greater in bruxers than in non-bruxers. The number of bony exostoses at the mandibular angle was significantly higher in bruxers (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
This study obtained radiological determinants of bruxism from panoramic radiographs. Further studies are needed to supplement this preliminary approach, especially via the analysis of three-dimensional imaging to overcome the limitations of panoramic radiography.
