Assessment of mandibular bone mineral density in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objectives: To assess mandibular bone mineral density in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using panoramic radiographs. Methods: Nineteen patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 17 control subjects participated in the study. Bone mineral density measurements were performed on the panoramic radiographs with the help of a five-step copper stepwedge phantom, attached to each film cassette, which was calibrated before hand by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The analysis was performed on digitized images by dedicated software (Scion Image). The accuracy of the measurement technique was also evaluated by cross-calibration with a DXA phantom. Results: Mean mandibular bone mineral density (g cm(-2)) was 1.53 +/- 0.27 in women and 1.52 +/- 0.29 in men with type 2 diabetes. In age and gender matched control subjects the values were 1.56 +/- 0.28 and 1.46 +/- 0.23 in women and in men, respectively. No statistically significant difference was observed between groups in mandibular bone mineral density. Conclusions: The present study showed that bone mineral density of the mandible does not seem to be affected in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We also observed that a panoramic radiograph could serve for accurate mandibular bone density determination, when calibrated well with the DXA method.