Alveolar bone level at deciduous molars in Flemish children: A retrospective, radiographic study

Aim The aim of this retrospective radiographic study in Flemish children was to examine the bone level and bone loss around deciduous molars and factors influencing this. Materials and methods Two thousand eight hundred ninety six digital intra-oral radiographs of children younger than 18 years old were screened for eligibility. The distance from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar bone crest was measured, and tooth surfaces were screened for local risk factors that are presumably related to changes in the bone level. A distance >2 mm was defined as bone loss based on previous literature. All measurements were performed by two examiners. Results One thousand four hundred ninety one radiographs of 796 patients (mean age 6.46 +/- 2.38 years) were included. The distance between the cementoenamel junction and the alveolar bone crest ranged from 0.07 to 2.88 mm, and the mean distance was 0.93 +/- 0.37 mm. This distance was positively correlated with age (p < .001). In 3.5% of patients, bone loss was diagnosed. Caries, fillings and pulp pathology were associated with bone loss and higher cementoenamel junction-alveolar bone crest distances (p < .05). Conclusion This study found a low prevalence of alveolar bone loss in the primary dentition. Both the bone level and bone loss were strongly correlated with local factors.