Evaluation of palatal bone density in adults and adolescents for application of skeletal anchorage devices

Objectives: To measure the cortical and cancellous bone densities of the palatal area in adolescents and adults and to compare bone quality among placement sites of temporary anchorage devices. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty cone beam computerized tomography scans were obtained from 60 adolescents (mean age, 12.2 +/- 1.9 years) and 60 adults (24.7 +/- 4.9 years). The measurements of palatal bone density were made in Hounsfield units (HU) at 72 sites at the intersections of eight mediolateral and nine anterioposterior reference lines using InVivoDental software. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to analyze intragroup and intergroup differences. Results: The cortical and cancellous bone densities in the adults (816 and 154 HU, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the adolescents (606 and 135 HU; P < .001 and P = .032, respectively). However, the anterior portion of the cortical bone in adolescents had similar density values to the posterior portion of the cortical bone in adults. Gender comparison revealed that females had greater cortical bone densities (769 HU) than their male counterparts did (654 HU; P < .001). Conclusions: Palatal bone densities were significantly higher in adults than in adolescents, and the anterior palatal areas of adolescents were of similar values to those at the posterior palate of adults. (Angle Orthod. 2012;82:625-631.)