[The nutrient canals. Radiographic alterations of the mandibular anterior region in diabetic patients].

The aim of this investigation was to study the incidence of the appearance of the nutrient canals in the mandibular anterior region of periapical radiographs of patients with diabetes mellitus. A total of 133 patients were examined, 73 patients exhibited diabetes mellitus, where 60 patients did not. The results of this investigation showed that: 1. The incidence of the appearance of the nutrient canals is much greater in the patients with diabetes mellitus (75.34%) than in the patients were used as control (41.66%). 2. In patients with diabetes mellitus, nutrient canals are seen more frequent in males (54.52%) than in females (45.48%). 3. The number of nutrient canals seems to have relation with the duration of disease and the recent value of blood glucose.