Evaluation of Alveolar Bones in the Context of Orthodontic Single-Tooth Space Closure: A Retrospective Cone Beam Computed Tomography-Based Analysis

In the literature, there are no studies evaluating alveolar bone width in areas with a single missing tooth in terms of orthodontic tooth movement. This study was meant to determine whether residual alveolar bone width in edentulous crests is a risk factor for orthodontic tooth movement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in the residual alveolar bone width in the edentulous region compared to the alveolar bone width on the symmetrical toothed side using CBCT in individuals with a single missing tooth in whom orthodontic tooth movement was planned. This retrospective radiographic study was performed using CBCT images that were taken before orthodontic treatment for the evaluation of the edentulous area between January 2010 and January 2022. Individuals without any systemic disease aged 18 years or older whose edentulous area was restricted to one tooth were included in this study. Bone measurements were made on cross-sectional CBCT images. Of the 265 individuals participating in this study, 129 were male and 136 were female, with a mean age of 32.67 ± 6.50 years. The distribution of 265 edentulous regions (caused by 265 tooth extractions) was as follows: 23 were in the incisor region, 54 were in the premolar region, and 188 were in the molar region. The molar region had the highest bone width among the edentulous regions (p < 0.01). Bone widths were smaller in the edentulous crests for all regions (p < 0.01). In this study, it was determined that the bone width in the areas with a single missing tooth was insufficient, and this is a risk factor for orthodontic treatment.