Morphological characteristics of the alveolar bone for the placement of dental implants

Background/Objective: The objective of the study is to determine the morphological characteristics of residual alveolar bone for dental implants in a Hispanic population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with 385 consecutive adult head-and neck computed tomography (CT) studies. The heights of alveolar bone in the maxilla and mandible, width, and bone density were measured. Groups were stratified for analysis according to the bone resorption. Results: A total of 508 alveolar spaces in the maxilla bone and 260 in the mandibular bone were included, with a mean age of 54.2 ± 14.8 years. Statistically significant differences between sexes were found in the width of the maxillary and mandibular second molar, the width in all regions of the mandible, and the height of the second molar. Statistically differences in the maxilla between Grades 3, 4, and 5 of residual ridge resorption in height, width, and density (p = 0.00), and in the mandibula between Grades 3, 4, and 5 of residual ridge resorption in width and density (p = 0.00). Conclusions: Enhancing pre-operative diagnostic accuracy is a cornerstone in ensuring the appropriateness of residual alveolar bone for dental implant placement, effectively mitigating the risks associated with inadequate bone quality. The rising adoption of CT as a complementary pre-operative diagnostic modality brings about a substantial leap in precision when compared to traditional panoramic radiography methods.