Avaliação da densidade mineral óssea e radicular de incisivos superiores com e sem diagnóstico de reabsorção radicular apical em indivíduos submetidos a tratamento ortodôntico

Abstract

During orthodontic treatment, increased bone mineral density (BMD) is considered a risk factor for apical root resorption (ARR), whereas the cementum mineral density has been associated to the protection of the root against this lesion. Our objective was to evaluate the mineral density (MD) of the apical third of the root and adjacent alveolar bone of maxillary incisors with and without ARR associated to orthodontic treatment. Twenty one patients under treatment with one incisor with ARR and its contralateral counterpart without ARR were selected and submitted to cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Mineral density was assessed in the images obtained from 4 areas of the apical third of the root and 4 areas of adjacent alveolar bone. Incisors with ARR showed greater root mineral density than incisors without ARR, however the difference was not significant. The supra-apical alveolar bone showed high density in the incisors without ARR (p<0.05). Root mineral density was not associated with root protection against resorption. The lower MD of the supra-apical bone was associated with the presence of ARR in the maxillary incisors.