Use of an optical comparator for radiographic measurement of bone loss around endosseous implants: a pilot study.

A technique for the measurement of bone loss around endosseous implants using an optical comparator was investigated. Five operators were asked to measure the mesial and distal alveolar bone levels around a screw type dental implant on a periapical radiograph mounted on an optical comparator. The known size of a threaded implant was used as a reference. The bone loss around the implant was calculated by taking the average of the mesial and distal measurements. Statistical analysis at the 95 percent confidence level demonstrated that there was no significant difference among the measurements. Although the initial results are encouraging, additional research is necessary with a larger sample size to validate the accuracy of optical comparator readings and compare the efficacy of this technique with other currently used methods for determining bone loss around root form implants.