Marginal bone height in adolescents participating in different preventive dental care programs

Abstract

A radiographic evaluation was made of the marginal bone height in youth, subject to different preventive dental care regimens. A test group consisted of 14.sbd.15 yr olds who for 4 yr had received preventive dental care based on oral hygiene education, professional tooth cleaning and topical fluorides and/or mouth rinsings every 3rd wk. A comparison group was given solely fluoride mouth rinsings every 2nd wk with no particular emphasis on oral hygiene measures. The radiographic evaluation showed average differences between the investigated groups of < 0.3 mm in the distance from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar bone crest. In the mandibular premolar-molar region of the comparison group, the marginal bone height differed significantly from the corresponding region in the test group. No such differences in the maxillary regions were noted. The clinical relevance of the results is discussed.