COMPARATIVE DENSITOMETRIC STUDY OF ILIAC CREST AND SCAPULA BONE IN RELATION TO OSSEOUS INTEGRATED DENTAL IMPLANTS IN MICROVASCULAR MANDIBULAR RECONSTRUCTION

The study was designed to compare dimension and density of four freque ntly used bone donor regions (the iliac crest, the lateral border of t he scapula, the radius and the fibula) with regard to placement of end osseous dental implants in microvascular mandibular reconstruction. Th e first part of the study reports on the results of bone dimension and density findings for iliac crest and scapula bone. Nearly all of the iliac crests had adequate dimensions for the positioning of four 10 mm implants. In 63% of the scapulae, it was possible to place four 10 mm implants. In the case of the scapula, half of the female subjects lac ked enough available bone for the insertion of four 10 mm implants bec ause of their inadequate width. Bone density and cortical thickness wa s found to be similar in the iliac crest and scapula. Age and side do not have an important influence on cortical bone dimensions and densit y. In contrast to the iliac crest, the lateral margin of the scapula a stonishingly showed increasing values for bone density and increasing thickness of the cortex. Analogical advanced biological age works in c onformity with the scapula flap. The results could, together with othe r clinical criteria, contribute to the choice of the best individual a lternative in mandibular reconstruction.