Fractal analysis of peri-implant bone on maxillary sinus augmentation area after 1 year loading : a retrospective study

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the bony trabeculae change around implant of maxillary sinus augmentation area after functional loading by fractal dimension analysis. 28 subjects (14 males and 14 females: age range: 43 to 76 years; mean age: 60 years: 34 implants) were selected from patients who were treated with dental implants after maxillary sinus augmentation at the Department of Periodontology, Gangnam Severance Dental Hospital between March 2007 and February 2010. Fractal dimension was measured by comparing radiographs taken immediately after prosthesis delivery to those taken one year after functional loading. Regions of interest were selected. Fractal analysis was performed using the box-counting method of ImageJ 1.42 software. Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test was used to analyze the differences in before and after functional loading.There was a statistically significant difference in fractal dimensional changes after 1 year loading (p-value=0.000). The median fractal dimension was 1.4903 before loading. It increased to 1.5319 after 1 year loading.Our results demonstrated that fractal dimensions increased in sinus augmentation area after loading. It may be concluded that there is an adaptive remodeling response of the sinus grafted bone to functional loading.