Quantitative longitudinal study of alveolar bone tissue in man

This investigation concerns the reaction of alveolar interdental tissue to periodontal surgery as observed from radiopacity changes in the region studied. The radiopacity of the tissue was determined with the aid of an Iodine¹²⁵ apparatus for intraoral measurements. The radiation source is small and the energy is 27.4 keV. The precision of the method was tested over the period of investigation and found to be high. Seven flap operations were performed on four patients with periodontal disease. The radiopacity of the alveolar tissue after operation seems to bedependent on changes caused by the postoperative edema of the soft tissue, resulting in an increase in radiopacity, and changes caused by mineralization processes in the alveolar bone. A demineralization of the interdental bone is observed from about two weeks after operation and reaching its lowest value within six weeks after operation. Thereafter a secondary increase in radiopacity is recorded. This is interpreted as a remineralization of the alveolar bone.