Radiographic evaluation of mandibular bone remodeling by mandibular cortical Index (MCI) in a Senegalese population

The objective of this study was to evaluate radiographic changes of the mandible by mandibular cortical index (MCI) within a Senegalese population. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on digital panoramic radiographs of Senegalese melanoderm subjects. The radiographs were classified into 3 age groups: 18-40 years (Group I), 41-55 years (Group II), 56 years and over (Group III). The MCI was ranked according to Klemetti in three scores (C1, C2 and C3). The score was assigned by observing the morphology of the lower mandibular cortex. The chi-square test was used to study the relationship of MCI with age and sex. The level of significance was set at p ? 0.05. Results: A total of 82 numerical radiographs were selected. In men, 79.07% (n = 34) had normal cortex (C1) and 69% (n = 27) in women. The C2 variant was more common in women (n = 10) and the C3 score was only found in women. The appearance of the lower cortex of the mandible was significantly associated with age (p = 0.009). Conclusion: This study has shown that MCI is a sensitive tool for the diagnosis of bone changes in the mandible in black African populations. However, these assertions should be confirmed by other studies with more representative samples.