A New Method for the Digital Assessment of the Relative Density of Bone Tissue in Dentistry Using the ImageJ Software Package.

Backgroud: The aim of this study was to create an accessible, simple and reliable method for assessing the relative density of bone tissue in dentistry based on the analysis of digital panoramic radiographs. Methods: Measurement of average gray values on orthopantomograms was carried out using ImageJ Version 1.54i software. To estimate the relative bone density, functions for selecting regions of interest (ROI), calculating the area of selection, and statistics of the selected area were used. Statistical characteristics of samples and testing of hypotheses using statistical criteria were performed using Microsoft Excel. Results: we found that when manually selecting the reference and comparison areas for areas without signs of pathological changes in bone tissue, the average standard deviation was 0.058, and the coefficient of variation was 0.055 ± 0.011%, which makes the choice of the jaw angle as a reference more preferable. The average relative bone density of the assessed defective areas to the jaw angle was 0.64 ± 0.11, and the average relative bone density of the areas without pathology to the jaw angle was 1.052 ± 0.058. Conclusions: a research protocol was developed and justified using the ImageJ software package, which establishes a strict procedure for quantitative assessment of relative bone density based on the results of digital panoramic radiography. The proposed protocol can be used to monitor the condition of bone tissue after all types of dental treatment over time.