Abstract

In Brazil a Life expectancy at birth it’s almost 76 years old. With the increase of the average years lived by Brazilians, can we predict that in the future, gains in this indicator will not come as easily. More intervention will be necessary in the causes of death that affect the elderly, for example the osteoporosis, as well as more investments in prevention and treatment, becoming a public health concern. Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease, affecting one in two women and one in five men aged above 50 years in the world. It is a skeletal disorder characterized by compromises bone strength that predisposes individuals to an increased risk of fractures. This change is responsible for the imbalance of the mechanics of the skeleton, increased number of fractures, notably in the spine, femoral neck and distal of the radio. This can also be seen in the maxillomandibular region, most obviously in the mandible, with decreased cortical thinning and inferior mandibular body [1,2]. Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) have been standard examination protocols in the assessment of bone mineral densities [3-5].