Longitudinal alveolar bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporotic/osteopenic women

The purpose of this 2-year longitudinal clinical study was to investigate a lveolar (oral) bone height and density changes in osteoporotic/osteopenic w omen compared with women with normal lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD ). Thirty-eight postmenopausal women completed this study; 21 women had nor mal BMD of the lumbar spine, while 17 women had osteoporosis or osteopenia of the lumbar spine at baseline. All subjects had a history of periodontiti s and participated in 3- to 4-month periodontal maintenance programs. No su bjects were current smokers. All patients were within 5 years of menopause at the start of the study. Four vertical bitewing radiographs of posterior sextants were taken at baseline and 2-year visits. Radiographs were examine d using computer-assisted densitometric image analysis (CADIA) for changes in bone density at the crestal and subcrestal regions of interproximal bone . Changes in alveolar bone height were also measured. Radiographic data wer e analyzed by the t-test for two independent samples. Osteoporotic/osteopen ic women exhibited a higher frequency of alveolar bone height loss (p < 0.0 5) and crestal (p < 0.025) and subcrestal (p < 0.03) density loss relative to women with normal BMD. Estrogen deficiency was associated with increased frequency of alveolar bone crestal density loss in the osteoporotic/osteop enic women and in the overall study population (p < 0.05). These data sugge st that osteoporosis/osteopenia and estrogen deficiency are risk factors fo r alveolar bone density loss in postmenopausal women with a history of peri odontitis.