Radiographic evaluation of alveolar bone profile of maxillary anterior teeth in Korean young adult

한국인 성인의 상악 전치부 치조골 형태에 관한 방사선학적 연구

In order to achieve a satisfactory esthetic result of periodontal surgery or implant in maxillary anterior area, periodontists must be aware of normal alveolar bone anatomy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of alveolar bone morphology to tooth shape and form. 78(mean age : 25 yrs) periodontally healthy volunteers participated in this study. Two maxillary central incisor and one lateral incisor were selected to study. With minimal local anesthesia, gutta-percha cone inserted to labial gingival sulcus of selected teeth just after bone sounding with periodontal probe. Metal ball (4mm diameter) attached to palatal fossa of central incisor. Then, periapical radiograph was taken according to long cone paralleling technique. After film scan, labial alveolar bone profile reproduced along interproximal bone and apical ends of gutta-percha cones on computer screen. By utilizing computer program, the distance from height of interproximal bone to the labial bone crest in central incisor-central incisor and central incisor-lateral incisor area was measured and converted to real distance by using vertical length of metal ball on film. After measuring crown length & width of central incisor, the 10 individuals ranked lowest GW/L ratio (crown width/length ratio) and the 10 ranked highest were selected as having a long-narrow(group N), or a short-wide(group W) form of the central incisors. Means of the distance from height of interproximal bone to the labial bone crest of group N, W were calculated and compared by means of independent t-test. The results were as follows: 1. Mean distance from the height of the interproximal bone to the labial bone crest was $3.5{\pm}0.7mm$ between two central incisor, and $2.8{\pm}0.6mm$ between central and lateral incisor. 2. Mean GW/L ratio of group N was 0.57, and group W was 0.8. Mean distance from the height of the interproximal bone to the labial bone crest of group N was higher than group W in both measured area(measurements of group N, W were $3.9{\pm0.2mm$ and $3.5{\pm}0.2mm$ between two central incisor, $3.0{\pm}0.2mm$ and $2.8{\pm}0.2mm$ between central and lateral incisor), but there were no statistically significant differences when the groups were compared. Within the limits of the present study, there was a tendency that subjects with long-narrow teeth have more scalloped alveolar bone profile than subjects with short-wide teeth in upper anterior area, but no statistically significant differences were found.