Early diagnosis of osteoporosis in male and female patients between 30 and 75 years using orthopantomography

Background: Osteoporosis is a systemic bone disease that is characterized by a generalized reduction of the bone mass. This bone disease exhibits microarchitectural degradation/disintegration of the bone scaffold that leads to increased bone fragility and more prone to fracture. Dental radiographs are one of the commonly used imaging modalities for teeth and jaw pathology. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the mandibular bone quality in panoramic radiographs for an initial evaluation of osteoporosis in male and female patients between 30 and 75 years using mental index (MI), which measures the cortical bone thickness of mandible. Materials and Methods: Hundred digital panoramic radiographs were screened. MI was used to evaluate the mandibular cortical bone thickness bilaterally. In males and females average MI scores were then assessed by using the t-sample independent test. Results: The study was statistically significant with P < 0.001 which showed differences of mandibular bone quality between the groups based on MI measurements. Conclusion: Using MI for assessment of mandibular bone quality in panoramic radiograph showed a significant difference between males and females. Correlation between MI and age showed elderly females were most affected by osteoporosis. Thus, panoramic radiographs can act as a diagnostic aid for early detection of osteoporosis.