RADIOGRAPHIC PERIODONTAL FINDINGS IN AN ELDERLY FINNISH POPULATION

By means of panoramic radiography and additional intraoral radiographs , the occurrence of calculus, the extent of horizontal bone loss, the depth and number of infrabony pockets, the number of furcation lesions , and the number of interproximal restoration overhangs were studied i n 169 dentate 76-, 81-, and 86-year-old subjects (54 male and 115 fema les) living at home. Alveolar bone loss (horizontal or vertical) among the participants was common, and in only 8 subjects (5%) was it judge d non-existent. It was slight in 30 subjects (18%), moderate in 53 (31 %), and advanced in 78 (46%). Infrabony pockets were found in 51% of t he subjects and furcation lesions in 28%. The presence of calculus did not correlate with the other parameters. The number of interproximal overhangs was associated with the number of infrabony pockets and of f urcation lesions (R=0.3, p<0.001 and p<0.0001) and the number of infra bony pockets with the number of furcation lesions (R=0.4, p<0.0001). O ur study shows that peridontal findings are common in the dentate elde rly, and associations recently found between periodontal infections an d several serious diseases make radiographic examination an integral p art of the oral examination of the elderly patient.