General and local predictors of mandibular cortical bone morphology in adult females and males: The seventh survey of the Tromsø Study

Abstract Objectives To analyze factors predicting mandibular cortical width (MCW) and mandibular cortical index (MCI) in adult females and males. Material and Methods Data on 427 females and 335 males aged 40-84 from The Tromsø study: Tromsø7 were used. T-score, age, menopausal status (for females), remaining teeth, and periodontal status were analyzed in linear and logistic regression analyses as predictors of MCW and MCI, respectively. Results T-score, age, and the number of remaining teeth significantly predicted MCW in females but not males. Standardized β coefficients were 0.286, -0.231, and 0.131, respectively. The linear regression model explained 24% of MCW variation in females. MCI in females was significantly predicted by T-score, age, and remaining teeth with the Wald values of 9.65, 6.17, and 5.83, respectively. The logistic regression model explained 16.3% - 23% of the variation in MCI in females. In males, T-score was the only significant predictor of the eroded cortex, and the logistic model explained only 4.3% – 5.8% of the variation in MCI. Conclusions T-score showed a stronger relationship with MCW and MCI than other factors in females, which supports using those indices for osteoporosis screening. In males, T-score and other factors did not show relationships with MCW. T-score was the only significant predictor of MCI in males, yet to a lesser extent than in females, discouraging further studies of MCW and MCI for osteoporosis screening in males. Clinical relevance: Understanding factors affecting mandibular cortical morphology is essential for further investigations of MCW and MCI usefulness for osteoporosis screening in females and males.