Buccal Bone Thickness in the Esthetic Zone of Postmenopausal Women: A CBCT Analysis.

Purpose: To compare bone thickness buccal to the teeth in the esthetic zone of postmenopausal women, premenopausal women, younger men and older men.

Methods: Retrospective data were randomly selected from 4 groups: 59 premenopausal women, 60 postmenopausal women, 60 men less than age 50, and 60 men more than 50. Half-root and bone crest landmarks were identified on each participant's cone beam computed tomography for teeth 7 to 10 and 23 to 26. Buccal bone thickness was measured by calibrated examiners. Group averages were calculated and compared between groups using analysis of variance (P < 0.05).

Results: When comparing premenopausal to postmenopausal women and postmenopausal women to older men, anterior bone thickness was significantly different for tooth maxillary and mandibular lateral incisors and overall maxillary and mandibular central incisors. In addition, significant differences were observed between these groups within the maxilla comparing lateral incisors, central incisors (P < 0.05), and within the mandible when comparing lateral and central incisors at (P < 0.05) at bone crest and half-root, respectively.

Conclusion: Buccal bone in the anterior esthetic zone bone is thin in all segments of the population, but significantly thinner in postmenopausal women. In this cohort, when anterior implants are planned, it is essential to make informed treatment planning decisions. Strategies are available to manage the thinner bony housing, but require further research specific to this growing consumer cohort.