Mental index, mandibular cortical index and panoramic mandibular index patients with a below normal mandibular cortical been suggested as a way to predict patients with width value (< 3 mm). The number of non-osteo- low bone mineral density.4 Previous studies have porotic patients who had a subnormal panoramic shown significant relationships between the MCW mandibular index value (< 0.3) was higher than the and bone mineral density.9-11,16,24-27 In the current number of osteoporotic patients with a subnormal study, the cortical bone in the mental region was panoramic mandibular index value. Thus, there significantly thinner in individuals with osteopo- were statistically differences between mandibular rosis. This result was expected as it concurs with cortical width and panoramic mandibular index previous studies.10,25,28-32 The present study re- values in patients with osteoporosis and without vealed that the mean MCW value on patients with osteoporosis (P<.05). osteoporosis was smaller than on patients with- According to dental status, more edentulous out osteoporosis. A few studies4,8,19,33,34 have evalu- patients had osteoporosis than did patients who ated the changes in mandibular cortical thickness were partially dentate and dentate. The number of for males. Dutra et al4 observed higher values for dentate patients with osteoporosis was the lowest, MCW in men. The results of a study by Knezovic- compared with other dental statuses (Table 6). Os- Zlataric et al34 suggest that the values begin to de- teoporotic status was statistically significantly as- crease sharply for women as compared to men. sociated with dental status (P<.05). Devlin and Horner9 reported that a cortical width of 3 mm is the most appropriate threshold for re- dIscuIon ferral for bone densitometry. White et al14 believe Cortical width and porosity on dental panoram- that it is more appropriate to post the threshold in ic radiographs have been shown to be potentially the mid 4 mm range. Klemetti et al12 reported that useful assessment methods.10,23 Therefore, this a threshold of 4 mm is optimal, but not sufficient study used the panoramic MCI, MI and PMI radio- by itself for excellent classification of subjects. In morphometric indices to evaluate individuals’ risk the present study, a cortical width of 3 mm was of osteoporosis. used as a threshold. Though mean mandibular Measurement of the thickness of the mandibu- cortical width values (normal value: ≥ 3mm) are lar cortical width in panoramic radiographs has normal in men over 60 years, mean mandibular Table 4. Distribution according to gender and dental status of categories of MCI. Gender Male Female Total Dental status Dentate Partially dentate Edentulous Table 5. Categories of MCI according to osteoporosis circumstance. C1 n (%) 187 (78.2) 71 (28.6) 258 (53.0) 37 (64.9) 179 (55.6) 42 (38.9) MCI classification C2 n (%) 52 (21.8) 170 (68.5) 222 (45.6) 20 (35.1) 139 (43.2) 63 (58.3) C3 n (%) 0 (.0) 7 (2.8) 7 (1.4) 0 (0) 4 (1.2) 3 (2.8) 64 With osteoporosis Without osteoporosis European Journal of Dentistry C1 n (%) 32 (25.4) 226 (62.6) MCI classification C2 n (%) 90 (71.4) 132 (36.6) Total n (%) 239 (49.1) 248 (50.9) 487 (100) 57 (11.7) 322 (66.1) 108 (22.2) C3 n (%) 4 (3.2) 3 (0.8)