Relationships between radiographic alveolar bone height and probing attachment level: data from healthy postmenopausal women

Objective: To determine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between radiographic alveolar bone height and probing attachment level in a population of healthy postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods: The 81 patients in this report were part of a prospe ctive estrogen replacement interventional study. All patients were in good oral health at entry and received annual oral prophylaxis as part of the st udy. Standard probing measurements were made with a pressure sensitive prob e at 6 sites on each tooth. Vertical bitewing radiographs were digitized, a nd 6 linear measurements corresponding to probing-site measurements were ma de from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar crest. These procedures were performed at baseline and at annual intervals for three years. Data we re analyzed both by site and by patient. Results: Moderately strong correlations were found between cross-sectional measurements of probing attachment height and radiographic bone height. Cor relations were stronger for patient data (r=0.44-0.61) than for site data ( r=0.19-0.36). No relationships were found between longitudinal changes in a lveolar bone height and attachment level in either the site data (r=-0.10-0 .04), or the patient data (r=-0.005-0.10). Conclusion: Healthy patients may experience sporadic, temporary changes in attachment level or alveolar bone height which are resolved without one aff ecting the other.