Suchergebnisse

The asymptomatic progression of osteoporosis, in conjunction with the possibility of catastrophic disability, makes this disorder a major public health priority.Various body sites, including the mandible, have shown susceptibility to decreasing bone density. In 1986, Benson et al. proposed a radiomor‐phometric technique called the Panoramic Mandibular Index (PMI) as an inexpensive, noninvasive dental technique for osteoporosis screening, although no osteoporotic subjects were included in their study.The purpose of our study was to determine whether osteoporotic postmenopausal women would show a decrease in mandibular cortical bone height, as measured by the PMI Index, when compared with nonosteoporotic postmenopausal women.Seventy‐two Caucasian females (33 cases/39 controls), aged 54–71 years old, were selected through records and screening via a dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry scan (LUNAR‐DEXATM).ANOVA analysis Indicated no differences in the mean PMI between case and control groups (0.37 ± 0.15 and 0.38 ± 0.13, respectively; p = 0.69). Other techniques, such as computer digitized radiography, should be explored to test the validity of the PMI.

ABSTRACTObjectivesThis study assessed the oral health status, dental utilization and dental needs of the homebound elderly (HBE) care patients within the Mount Sinai Visiting Doctor program.MethodsOf the 334 eligible patients, 57% agreed to participate and 95.4% completed the clinical examinations, the Dental Utilization and Needs survey and Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index conducted in each subject's home by a trained research team.ResultsAmong 75% who were dentate subjects, 40% needed restorative dental care, 45.6% needed dental extractions, and 33% complained of current oral pain. Overall, 92.0% needed some type of dental care and 96% stated that they had not seen a dentist since they became homebound (mean number of years in program = 3.2 ± 2.58).ConclusionFindings show the oral health status of these homebound elderly was poor and their quality of life was significantly affected by the lack of basic dental care.