Bone Scan in Dental Diseases

Bone images of the jaws and related dental structures were obtained in 25 patients undergoing skeletal surveys. The upper and lower jaws were divided into eight quadrants to facilitate comparisons between scintigraphic image findings and the results of dental examination. Fourteen of these 25 patients had at least one jaw quadrant with a positive image. The areas of positive uptake correlated well with dental examination findings, which included healing extraction sites and common dental diseases, such as pulpal and periodontal infections and irritations from ill-fitting dentures. The potential usefulness of bone imaging as an adjunct in dental diagnosis is discussed.