Clínical and radiographic evaluation of alveolar bone leveI in human skulls

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to compare the distances o the cemento-enamel junction to the alveolar bone crest, obtained directly in dry human jaws with the same measures obtained in the conventional and enhanced radio- graphic digital images. The alveo- lar bone crest level was obtained using a periodontal probe, and by means of standardized digital radiographs (Rinn). The clinical and radiographic measurements were compared using t-paired test and the variance for the measures was verified (ANOVA) forposterior and anterior areas. Both measure- ments obtained in the radiographic images were significantly inferior comparing to the clinicalmeasures (rnean of 1,74 ± 1,30mm for the clinical measures; 1,56 ± 1,22mm and 1,40 ± 1.20 for conventional and enhanced radiographic ima- ges, respectively). There was no statistical difference either for posterior or anterior teeth regar- ding the three evaluation methods. The authors concluded that the distances from the cemento-ena- mel junction to the alveolar bone crest obtained in the digital conventional and enhanced radio- graphic images, underestimated the measures verified directly in dried humanjaws, and the measu- res obtained in the conventional digital radiograph presented the nearest values comparing to those obtained with clinical examination.