Alveolar bone patterns in sickle cell anemia and non-sickle cell anemia adolescent Nigerians: a comparative study.

The association between sickle cell anemia (SCA) and gnathopathy of the permanent incisors forms the basis of this study. The alveolar bone patterns of adolescent Nigerians were observed in a comparative study of 50 SCA subjects and 50 controls from the same environment. Periapical radiographs of the lower incisor and upper molar regions were taken. Alveolar bone levels were measured as a percent of the root lengths to account, in part, for angulation, error. These readings were then compared between the two groups. No significant difference was observed in the radiographic bone level measurements when the two groups were compared. These results clearly show that in this population of adolescents, sickle cell anemia is not associated with a difference in alveolar bone levels.