ObjectiveThis study determined the correlation between relevant indexes of the oral panoramic radiographs and the whole body bone mineral density(BMD).MethodsOne hundred menopausal women were selected according to the inclusion criteria. The whole body BMD were measured, at the same time as dental panoramic radiographs were taken. Mandibular relevant BMD, panoramic mandibular index(PMI), and mandible resorption index(MRI) were measured on the panoramics. The measured data were used for the statistical correlation analysis.ResultsTheir mandibular relevant BMD and PMI correlate with all indices measured for their whole body BMD. MRI and lumbar spine BMD are correlated, but not with other systemic BMD. PMI correlates with the mandibular relevant BMD and MRI, but the mandibular relevant BMD does not correlate with MRI. PMI is more correlated with lumbar spine BMD than the mandibular relevant BMD and MRI.ConclusionThe menopausal women mandibular BMD were closely related to their body BMD. The PMI was the most correlated with the lumbar spine BMD in the three indices of the mandibular BMD. PMI can be used as one of the sensitive indicators for screening menopause osteoporosis.
