The project is a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of alveolar bone loss (ABL) in aging men. Study subjects will be 700 adult male participants in the VA Dental Longitudinal Study (VADLS). Bone loss will be determined using existing radiographs, including (1) intraoral periapical, (2) cephalometric, and (3) hand-wrist radiographs. The VADLS has the most extensive longitudinal radiographic data base available with which to examine the factors associated with progressive alveolar bone loss. The existence of sequential radiographs permits a longitudinal analysis of the actual ABL experienced over a twenty year period at three year intervals. The study will be able to determine actual rates of ABL per site and per subject, while also controlling for any pre-existing ABL found at the baseline examination. Extensive dental and general health information is available for the subjects so relations between ABL and systemic conditions can be observed. Unique opportunities exist to examine the relationship of ABL to changes in bone at non-periodontal sites in the same subjects and the contribution of extra-oral factors to ABL. Relationships of ABL to age-related changes in bone at non-periodontal skeletal sites can be investigated, allowing study of the contribution of systemic changes in bone density to the intraoral changes in alveolar bone loss. The project will yield much improved estimates of the rate of ABL conditional on putatively important explanatory variables.
