Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy

, Volume 26, Issue 6, pp 466–473 | Cite as

The three-dimensional microstructure of the trabecular bone in the mandible

  • H.-S. Moon
  • Y.-Y. Won
  • K.-D. Kim
  • A. Ruprecht
  • H.-J. Kim
  • H.-K. Kook
  • M.-K. Chung
Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

This study investigated the three dimensional (3D) trabecular microstructure of the alveolar and basal bone in the mandible using micro-CT and compared the morphometric values of the different sites. Ten specimens were prepared and scanned using a micro-CT system. Both the alveolar and basal trabecular bone of the premolar region in the mandible were measured for the structural analysis. Cross-sectional 1024×1024 pixel images were created. From the two-dimensional (2D) images produced, 3D structural images were reconstructed. After scanning the specimen, the volumes of interest (VOI) of the alveolar and basal bone regions were selected from the 3D reconstruction images, and the structural parameters such as bone volume fraction, bone surface density, trabecular thickness, trabecular separation, trabecular number and structural model index were analyzed. The trabecular structure showed a marked variation within the sites of the specimen, especially in the basal trabecular bone inferior to the mandibular canal. In both the alveolar and basal bone regions, a mixture of both plate-like and rod-like structures was observed. The alveolar region showed a more compact, plate-type trabecular structure than the basal regions. In parametric comparison with the basal bone, the alveolar bone generally had a higher bone volume fraction, bone trabecular thickness and trabecular number, and lower bone surface density, trabecular separation and structural model index. The alveolar bone consisted of a compact bone structure with a large amount of thick plate-type trabecular bone, which was effectively resistant to the masticatory forces. As the measurements were made closer to the basal bone, a loose structure was observed with lower bone volume and fewer, thin, rod-like trabeculae.

Keywords

Trabecular structure Alveolar bone Basal bone Structural parameter Micro-CT 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by “2000 grant from Graduate School of Medicine, Ajou University”.

References

  1. 1.
    Atkinson PJ, Woodhead C (1968) Changes in human mandibular structure with age. Arch Oral Biol 13:1453–1464CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  2. 2.
    Balto K, Müller R, Carrington DC, Dobeck J, Stashenko P (2000) Quantification of periapical bone destruction in mice by micro-computed tomography. J Dent Res 79:35–40PubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. 3.
    Bassi F, Procchio M, Fava C, Schierano G, Preti G (1999) Bone density in human dentate and edentulous mandibles using computed tomography. Clin Oral Impl Res 10:356–361CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. 4.
    Borah B, Dufresne TE, Cockman MD, Gross GJ, Sod EW, Myers WR, et al (2000) Evaluation of changes in trabecular bone architecture and mechanical properties of minipig vertebrae by three-dimensional magnetic resonance microimaging and finite element modeling. J Bone Miner Res 15:1786–1797PubMedGoogle Scholar
  5. 5.
    Bresin A, Johansson C, Kiliaridis S (1994) Effects of occlusal strain on the development of the dentoalveolar process in the growing rat. A morphometric study. Eur J Musculoskel Res 3:112–122Google Scholar
  6. 6.
    Bresin A, Kiliaridis S, Strid KG (1999) Effect of masticatory function on the internal bone structure in the mandible of the growing rat. Eur J Oral Sci 107:35–44CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  7. 7.
    Buchman SR, Sherick DG, Goulet RW, Goldstein SA (1998) Use of microcomputed tomography scanning as a new technique for the evaluation of membranous bone. J. Craniofac Surg 9:48–54Google Scholar
  8. 8.
    Carranza FA (1996) Bone loss and patterns of bone destruction. In: Clinical periodontology, 8th edn. WB Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 297–313Google Scholar
  9. 9.
    Ding M, Hvid I (2000) Quantification of age-related changes in the structure model type and trabecular thickness of human tibial cancellous bone. Bone 26:291–295CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  10. 10.
    Engelke K, Graeff W, Meiss L, Hahn M, Delling G (1993) High spatial resolution imaging of bone mineral using computed microtomography. Invest Radiol 28:341–349PubMedGoogle Scholar
  11. 11.
    Engelke K, Song SH, Gluer CC, Genant HK (1996) A digital model of trabecular bone. J Bone Miner Res 11:480–489PubMedGoogle Scholar
  12. 12.
    Genant HK, Gordon C, Jinang Y, Lang TF, Link TM, Majumdar S (1999) Advanced imaging of bone macro and micro structure. Bone 25:149–152CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  13. 13.
    Guilak F (1994) Volume and surface area measurement of viable chondrocytes in situ using geometric modeling of serial confocal sections. J Microsc 173:245–256PubMedGoogle Scholar
  14. 14.
    Hildebrand T, Laib A, Müller R, Dequeker J, Rüegsegger P (1999) Direct three-dimensional morphometric analysis of human cancellous bone: microstructural data from spine, femur, iliac crest, and calcaneus. J Bone Miner Res 14:1167–1174PubMedGoogle Scholar
  15. 15.
    Hildebrand T, Rüegsegger P (1997) A new method for the model independent assessment of thickness in three-dimensional images. J Microsc 185:67–75CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. 16.
    Hildebrand T, Rüegsegger P (1997) Quantification of bone microarchitecture with the structure model index. Comp Methods Biomech Biomed Eng 1:15–23Google Scholar
  17. 17.
    Horner K, Devlin H, Alsop CW, Hodgkinson IM, Adams JE (1996) Mandibular bone mineral density as a predictor of skeletal osteoporosis. Br J Radiol 69:1019–1025PubMedGoogle Scholar
  18. 18.
    Jensen KS, Moskilde L, Moskilde L (1990) A model of vertebral trabecular bone architecture and its mechanical properties. Bone 11:417–423PubMedGoogle Scholar
  19. 19.
    Kingsmill VJ, Boyde A (1998) Variation in the apparent density of human mandibular bone with age and dental status J Anat 192:233–244CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. 20.
    Kleerekoper M, Villanueva AR, Sranciu J, Rao DS, Parfitt AM (1985) The role of three-dimensional trabecular microstructure in the pathogenesis of vertebral compression fractures. Calcif Tissue Int 37:594–597PubMedGoogle Scholar
  21. 21.
    Klemetti E, Vainio P, Lassila V, Alhava E (1993) Trabecular bone mineral density of mandible and alveolar height in postmenopausal women. Scand J Dent Res 101:166–170PubMedGoogle Scholar
  22. 22.
    Kribbs PJ, Chestnut CH 3rd, Ott SM, Kilcoyne RF (1989) Relationships between mandibular and skeletal bone in an osteoporotic populations. J Prosthet Dent 62:703–707PubMedGoogle Scholar
  23. 23.
    Kribbs PJ, Smith DE, Chestnut CH 3rd 1983) Oral findings in osteoporosis. II. Relationship between residual ridge and alveolar bone resorption and generalized skeletal osteopenia. J Prosthet Dent 50:719–724Google Scholar
  24. 24.
    Kuhn JL, Goldstein SA, Feldkamp LA, Goulet RW, Jesion G (1990) Evaluation of a microcomputed tomography system to study trabecular bone structure. J Orthop Res 8:833–842PubMedGoogle Scholar
  25. 25.
    Lindh C, Nilsson M, Klinge B, Petersson A (1996) Quantitative computed tomography of trabecular bone in the mandible Dentomaxillofac Radiol 25:146–150Google Scholar
  26. 26.
    Lorensen W, Cline H (1987) Marching cubes: a high resolution 3D surface construction algorithm. Comput Graphics 21:163–169Google Scholar
  27. 27.
    Müller R, Hahn M, Vogel M, Delling G, Rüegsegger P (1996) Morphometric analysis of noninvasively assessed bone biopsies: comparison of high-resolution computed tomography and histologic sections. Bone 18:215–220CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  28. 28.
    Müller R, Hildebrand T, Rüegsegger P (1994) Non-invasive bone biopsy: a new method to analyze and display the three-dimensional structure of trabecular bone. Phys Med Biol 39:145–164CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  29. 29.
    Müller R, Van Campenhout H, Van Damme B, Van Der Perre G, Dequeker J, Hildebrand T, et al (1998) Morphometric analysis of human bone biopsies: a quantitative structural comparison of histological sections and micro-computed tomography. Bone 23:59–66CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  30. 30.
    Odgaard A (1997) Three-dimensional methods for quantification of cancellous bone architecture. Bone 20:315–328CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  31. 31.
    Odgaard A, Andersen K, Melsen F. Gundersen HJ (1990) A direct method for fast three-dimensional serial reconstruction. J Microsc 159:335–342PubMedGoogle Scholar
  32. 32.
    Parfitt AM, Mathews CH, Villanueva AR, Kleerekoper M, Frame B, Rao DS (1983) Relationships between surface, volume, and thickness of iliac trabecular bone in aging and in osteoporosis. Implications for the microanatomic and cellular mechanism of bone loss. J Clin Invest 72:1396–1409PubMedGoogle Scholar
  33. 33.
    Rhodes JS, Ford TR, Lynch JA, Liepins PJ, Curtis RV (1999) Micro-computed tomography: a new tool for experimental endodontology. Int Endod J 32:165–170CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  34. 34.
    Rubin C, Turner AS, Müller R, Mittra E, McLeod K, Lin W, et al (2002) Quantity and quality of trabecular bone in the femur are enhanced by a strongly anabolic, noninvasive mechanical intervention. J Bone Miner Res 17:349–357PubMedGoogle Scholar
  35. 35.
    Singh I (1978) The architecture of cancellous bone. J Anat 127:305–310PubMedGoogle Scholar
  36. 36.
    Solar P, Ulm C, Thornton B, Matejka M (1994) Sex-related differences in the bone mineral density of atrophic mandibles. J Prosthet Dent 71:345–349PubMedGoogle Scholar
  37. 37.
    Southard KA, Southard TE, Schlechte JA, Meis PA (2000) The relationship between the density of the alveolar processes and that of post-cranial bone. J Dent Res 79:964–969PubMedGoogle Scholar
  38. 38.
    Uchiyama T, Tanizawa T, Muramatsu H, Endo N, Takahashi HE, Hara T (1997) A morphometric comparison of trabecular structure of human ilium between microcomputed tomography and conventional histomorphometry. Calcif Tissue Int 61:493–498CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  39. 39.
    Ulm CW, Kneissel M, Hahn M, Solar P, Matejka M, Donath K (1997) Characteristics of the cancellous bone of edentulous mandibles Clin Oral Impl Res 8:125–130CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  40. 40.
    Van Rietbergen B, Weinans H, Huiskes R, Odgaard A (1995) A new method to determine trabecular bone elastic properties and loading using micromechanical finite-element models. J Biomech 28:69–81PubMedGoogle Scholar
  41. 41.
    Verna C, Dalstra M, Melsen B (2000) The rate and the type of orthodontic tooth movement is influenced by bone turnover in a rat model. Eur J Orthod 22:343–352PubMedGoogle Scholar
  42. 42.
    Van Rietbergen B, Odgaard A, Kabel J, Huiskes R (1996) Direct machines assessment of elastic symmetries and properties of trabecular bone architecture. J Biomech 29:1653–1657CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  43. 43.
    von Wowern N (1977) Variations in structure within the trabecular bone of the mandible. Scand J Dent Res 85:613–622PubMedGoogle Scholar
  44. 44.
    von Wowern N, Hjörting-Hansen E, Stoltze K (1979) Changes in bone mass in rat mandibles after tooth extraction. Int J Oral Surg 8:229–233PubMedGoogle Scholar
  45. 45.
    von Wowern N, Melson F (1979) Comparative bone morphometric analysis of mandibles and iliac crests. Scand J Dent Res 87:351–357PubMedGoogle Scholar
  46. 46.
    von Wowern N, Stoltze K (1980) Pattern of age related bone loss in mandibles. Scand J Dent Res 88:134–146PubMedGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2004

Authors and Affiliations

  • H.-S. Moon
    • 1
    • 2
  • Y.-Y. Won
    • 3
  • K.-D. Kim
    • 4
  • A. Ruprecht
    • 5
    • 6
    • 7
  • H.-J. Kim
    • 8
  • H.-K. Kook
    • 3
  • M.-K. Chung
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Oral Science Research Center, College of DentistryYonsei UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
  2. 2.Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, School of Dental and Oral SurgeryColumbia UniversityNew YorkUSA
  3. 3.Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of MedicineAjou UniversitySuwon CitySouth Korea
  4. 4.Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, College of DentistryYonsei UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
  5. 5.Department of Oral Pathology, Radiology and Medicine, College of DentistryUniversity of IowaIowa CityUSA
  6. 6.Department of Radiology, College of MedicineUniversity of IowaIowa CityUSA
  7. 7.Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of MedicineUniversity of IowaIowa CityUSA
  8. 8.Division of Anatomy, Department of Oral Biology, College of DentistryYonsei UniversitySeoulSouth Korea

Personalised recommendations