Osteoporosis is considered as a public health problem by World Health Organization. The identification of subjects at risk of fractures and with low bone mineral density is the basis of any preventive osteoporosis program. Then, high risk individuals should be referred for dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). DXA is considered the gold standard of bone mineral density assessment. Nevertheless, bone densitometry has a limited availability for routine use in population screening. Panoramic radiography is conducted routinely in elderly populations, especially for edentulous patients before treating with complete denture or implants. Some panoramic radiographic measurements, also known as panoramic radiomorphometric indices, may identify postmenopausal women that should perform bone densitometry. The main purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of panoramic radiography as an auxiliary tool in the diagnosis of osteoporosis and low bone mineral density.
osteoporosis; panoramic radiography; bone densitometry; post menopause
