A cone-beam computed tomography evaluation of bone density for insertion of pterygoid implants in dentulous and edentulous patients

Objectives: The bone quantity and quality determine the prosthetic success outcome. This research was performed to evaluate the bone density for insertion of pterygoid implants in edentulous and dentulous participants with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Materials and methods: CBCT evaluation was done for 66 dentate and edentulous patients for pterygoid implants at the pterygomaxillary region. The calculation of joint width, height, and volume of bone was done. Density of the bone was evaluated at the superior and inferior aspects of the pterygomaxillary column.

Results: It was observed that average pterygomaxillary joint height for dentulous (dentate) was -12.7 ± 7.2 mm, edentulous -12.4 ± 7.1 mm, the average pterygomaxillary joint width for dentulous was 8.15 ± 7.3 mm, and 8.13 ± 6.2 mm for edentulous. The average pterygomaxillary joint volume in dentulous participants was 279.4 ± 189.2 mm³ and for edentulous was 254.5 ± 176.4 mm³. There was expressively greater density of the bone in dentulous participants over edentulous participants (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: There was better bone density found in dentate participants in comparison to edentulous participants. CBCT is a recent investigative device which measures pterygoid area efficiently. Pterygoid implants may be deliberated as an alternative method for resorbed (atrophic) maxilla.