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

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: The T-score demonstrated a stronger relationship with MCW and MCI than other factors in females, which supports the usefulness of those indices for osteoporosis screening. Conversely, the T-score exhibited no association with MCW and remained the only significant predictor of MCI in males, yet to a lesser extent than in females. 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.