THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALVEOLAR BONE LOSS AND PROXIMAL CARIES IN CHILDREN - PREVALENCE AND MICROBIOLOGY

The present study describes the prevalence of alveolar bone loss (ABL) in children in relation to caries, contact and space loss. In additio n, the microbial composition of the subgingival plaque of 20 sites, fr om 5 children, is presented. Bite-wing radiographs from 500 children w ere examined. ABL was evident in: 99 sites from 60 children; > 1 site in 27 children; the maxilla only in 34 children; the mandible only in 17 children; both arches in 9 children; 37 sites with no caries; 4.9 p ercent of all sites with proximal caries; 15.8 percent of all sites wi th contact loss; and 20.5 percent of all sites with mesial drift. Anae robic bacteria were cultured from all 20 sites. No significant differe nces in the percentages of colony forming units of Actinobacillus acti nomycetemcomitans and black pigmented Bacteroides were found among sit es with/without bone loss, with/without caries or probing depths small er/equal or larger than 2.5 mm.