Dental and radiographic findings as predictors of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between dental findings and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. One hundred and eight postmenopausal women were recruited for the study. All participants underwent dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The number of remaining teeth, clinical attachment loss, pocket depth and mobility of each tooth were determined. Radiodensitometric analyses were performed on digital periapical radiographs utilizing an aluminum stepwedge technique. The appearance of inferior mandibular cortex posterior of the mental foramina region was scored according to the classification by Klemetti. The number of remaining teeth, attachment loss values, Klemetti Index scores and the radiodensitometric scores showed a significant relationship with skeletal bone density. Tooth loss, an increased clinical attachment level, reduced density on digital periapical radiographs and an eroded appearance of the inferior mandibular cortex in panoramic radiographs are associated with low-skeletal bone mineral density.