Clinical and experimental dental research
Fractal Analysis of Jaw Bone Structure in Individuals With Dental Fluorosis: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study
By Gormez O, Yilmaz HH and Cakir A.
Abstract
Objectives
This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate differences in maxillary and mandibular trabecular bone structure in individuals with dental fluorosis using fractal dimension (FD) analysis.
Materials and methods
The study included 47 individuals: 24 with dental fluorosis and 23 controls. Fluorosis severity was assessed using the Thylstrup-Fejerskov Index and classified as moderate (n = 13) or severe (n = 11). FD analysis was performed on standardized regions of interest on digital panoramic and digitized analog periapical radiographs using ImageJ. Normality was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Region-specific FD values were compared using independent-samples t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests, as appropriate. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses were used to account for within-participant correlation among repeated regional measurements.
