Dental X-Rays May Show First Sign of Osteoporosis

Panoramic dental x-rays can be utilized to help identify postmenopausal women with low skeletal bone mineral density (BMD), so that screening for spinal octopuses could start in the dentist's office, according to a new study.

The study was comprised of 316 postmenopausal women with no osteoporosis symptoms. The women were separated into two groups: 159 had no history of oophorectomy, hysterectomy, or estrogen use, while the remaining 157 had one or more of these histories. All had panoramic dental x-rays, and the cortical shape and width of the jaw were estimated on the x-rays. "Women with eroded cortical shape need to be referred for further BMD testing,” remarked Akira Taguchi, D.D.S., Ph.D., from the department of oral and maxillofacial radiology at Hiroshima University Hospital (Japan). The study was published in the December 2004 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Looking at the cortical shape, dental x-rays were 87% sensitive in identifying women with spinal osteoporosis in the group with no hysterectomy, oophorectomy, or estrogen use and 80% sensitive for the other group. The questionnaires were established to have an 87% sensitivity rate for the women with no history and 72% for those having had a hysterectomy, oophorectomy, or estrogen use.

Dr. Taguchi observed that dental x-rays are not as specific as questionnaires; however, because dental x-rays are already being performed, they can be evaluated as a first step in determining which women require additional testing. "The response rate for questionnaires may be relatively low if postmenopausal women have little information or no interest regarding osteoporosis,” stated Dr. Taguchi. However, "Because dental panoramic x-rays are taken for the diagnosis of conditions affecting the teeth and jaws in clinical practice worldwide, the dentist could also look at the mandibular cortical shape and width and refer the appropriate women for further BMD testing.”




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