Bone Quality Assessment of Dental Implant Recipient Sites

Th e term bone quality is not clearly defi ned and depends on many factors, such as bone density, bone vascularity, bone metabolism and other factors that may aff ect implant outcome. Th e assessment of bone volume and bone density is most common in planning the treatment of dental implants. Bone quality is an important predictor of primary implant stability, which infl uences the future implant osseointegration. Numerous classifi cations have been described for the evaluation of bone density. Th e most commonly used has been the one proposed by Lekholmu and Zarb. For the objective evaluation of bone density, conventional computed tomography (CT) or Cone Beam Computed tomography (CBCT), have been proposed. Both methods are reliable for the measurement of bone density, but preference is given to CBCT, due to the lower radiation doses, greater comfort for the patient and the lower prices. Pre-operatively defi ned bone density is a good indicator of the future success of implant therapy. In addition to the bone density, vascularity of the jawbone is an important factor of the quality of the bone for the osseointegration of dental implants. Laser Doppler is a simple method that can determine the vascularity of bone during implant insertion. Th e development of modern diagnostic methods for assessing the quantity and quality of the jawbone has enabled easier implant planning and has provided a secure outcome.