Evaluation of the effect of long-term use of antidepressants in the SSRI group on bone density with dental volumetric tomography

AIM: The present study aims to employ dental volumetric tomography to examine bone mineral density among men that used antidepressants in the SSRI group for a long time. METHOD: The present study was conducted through the utilisation of data related to patients that presented to the Faculty of Dentistry of Dicle University and had a dental volumetric tomography (DVT) scan for any reason. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on the use of antidepressants: Group 1 included 68 patients as the control group, and Group 2 consisted of 68 patients that used antidepressants. Radiomorphometric measurements were performed on DVT data: DVT-Mandibular Index (DVT-MI), DVT-Cortical Index (DVT-CI), Hounsfıeld Unit (HU) CORTICAL, and HU SPONGIOSIS values were calculated. RESULTS: The group of patients that used antidepressants exhibited a significant increase in DVT CI and a significant decrease in HU CORTICAL, HU SPONGIOSIS and DVT MI values. These findings were suggestive of osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: Long-term use of antidepressants should be taken into consideration as a risk factor for osteoporosis in men.