Fractal Analysis of Trabecular Alveolar Bone with Intrabony and Furcation Defects Using Periapical Dental Radiographs

Objective: Fractal analysis (FA) is a non-invasive method that quantitatively measures complex patterned geometric structures present throughout the image. Trabecular morphology of the alveolar bone and the changes occurring in the trabeculae in case of periodontitis can be detected with this method. To examine the periodontal defects in human skull bones using the FA, to compare them with healthy alveolar bone regions. Methods: Furcation and intrabony defects were artificially created in the mandible alveolar bones (n:24). Periapical X-ray images of alveolar bone regions containing teeth with defects were taken using the parallel technique. Fractal analysis was performed by box-counting method using Image J software on images from areas containing healthy and defective trabecular bone. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between the fractal values of healthy tissue and bifurcation defetcs and between the healthy tissue and intrabony defects (p>0.05). Conclusion: Many factors may have affected the outcomes; patient selection, imaging methods, sample size, Region of interest (ROI) selection-location and size, individual and anatomical variations. These variables need to be standardized as much as possible and the limitations of the method need to be improved.