Radiography in advanced periodontal disease. Determination of alveolar bone height over a 2-year interval

An investigation was performed on 10 patients with advanced periodontal disease. A 3-step periodontal-orthodontic--occlusal therapy was performed followed by programmed plaque-control and professional tooth-cleaning. A longitudinal radiographic study was performed over a period of two years using an Eggen filmholder in combination with individual interocclusal acrylic indices. Measurements of tooth length and alveolar bone height were made using compasses and a transverse scale. An additional registration of bone height was made with a calibrated magnifier. In order to evaluate the precision of registrations a photogrammetric study was carried out using a stereo-comparator. The precision of tooth length and bone height measurements varied between 0.12-0.36 mm. No significant loss of alveolar bone was found during the two year study.