Imaging Sci Dent.  2020 Mar;50(1):9-14. 10.5624/isd.2020.50.1.9.

Alveolar bone thickness and fenestration of incisors in untreated Korean patients with skeletal class III malocclusion: A retrospective 3-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography study

• Oh SH
• Nahm KY
• Kim SH
• Nelson G

• KMID: 2471840
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5624/isd.2020.50.1.9

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate vertical bone loss and alveolar bone thickness in the maxillary and mandibular incisors of patients with skeletal class III malocclusion. This study also aimed to evaluate the periodontal condition of class III malocclusion patients who had not undergone orthodontic treatment.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The sample included cone-beam computed tomography scans of 24 Korean subjects (3 male and 21 female). Alveolar bone thickness (ABT), alveolar bone area (ABA), alveolar bone loss (ABL), and fenestration of the maxillary and mandibular incisors were measured using 3-dimensional imaging software.
RESULTS
All incisors displayed an ABT of less than 1.0 mm from the labial surface to root level 7 (70% of the root length). A statistically significant difference was observed between the mandibular labial and lingual ABAs and between the maxillary labial and mandibular labial ABAs. The lingual ABA of the mandibular lateral incisors was larger than that of the mandibular central incisors. ABL was severe on the labial surface. A statistically significant difference was observed between the maxillary and mandibular labial ABL values(21.8% and 34.4%, respectively). Mandibular lingual ABL (27.6%) was significantly more severe than maxillary lingual ABL (18.3%) (P<0.05). Eighty-two fenestrations were found on the labial surfaces of the incisors, while only 2 fenestrations were observed on the lingual surfaces. Fenestrations were most commonly observed at root level 6.
CONCLUSION
Careful evaluation is needed before orthodontic treatment to avoid iatrogenic damage of periodontal support when treating patients with class III malocclusion.

Keyword

Alveolar Process; Incisor; Tooth Supporting Structures

MeSH Terms

Alveolar Bone Loss
Alveolar Process
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography*
Humans
Incisor*
Male
Malocclusion*
Periodontium
Retrospective Studies*

Figure

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  Fig. 1 A schematic diagram of the maxillary and mandibular reference points, lines, and measurement variables used in the present study. ABA: alveolar bone area (mm2)=[12(a+b)×c], level 0: line perpendicular to the root axis in the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) area, level 10: line perpendicular to the root axis in the root apex area, BL: bone loss.

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  Fig. 2 Alveolar bone thickness(ABT) at each root level(0–10) for each of the incisors(#12–22, #32–42). a: labial side, p: lingual side.

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  Fig. 3 Alveolar bone area (ABA, mm2) of incisor cross-sections. A statistically significant difference was observed between the upper and lower incisors.

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  Fig. 4 Alveolar bone loss(ABL) of the labial and lingual sides(%).

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  Fig. 5 Prevalence of fenestrations according to root level.

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