CBCT-based quantification of intrabony root volumes in adult natural teeth: An exploratory study

Alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) is critical for implant dentistry outcomes, yet current graft material selection lacks standardized intrabony root volume benchmarks. This study aimed to establish baseline data for intrabony root volumes of adult teeth using CBCT.

This single-center cross-sectional study included 100 adults (50 males, 50 females) with complete natural dentition. CBCT-derived intrabony root volumes were measured for 10 target tooth positions using Mimics software. Volumetric data were analyzed for differences across tooth positions, jaw locations, and genders using parametric or nonparametric tests.

Intrabony root volumes varied by tooth position (first molar, first premolar, canine, lateral incisor, central incisor), with the largest volumes in upper first molars and smallest in lower central incisors. The intrabony root volumes of all target maxillary tooth positions were significantly higher than those of their mandibular homonymous counterparts (all P<0.01). Males exhibited significantly larger intrabony root volumes than females across all tooth positions (P<0.001).

This exploratory study preliminarily establishes comprehensive reference data for adult intrabony root volumes across tooth positions, jaw locations, and genders, which may inform the development of tailored bone substitutes to address clinical limitations in graft volume estimation.