Diagnostic assessment of jaw bone density in school-age children using chewing gum

Relevance. The article is devoted to the issue of diagnosing the condition of the jaw bone tissue in children with mixed dentition. The relevance of the study is related to the increased consumption of chewing gum by children.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the echodensity of the jaw bone tissue in patients with mixed dentition using chewing gum with varying intensity.Materials and methods. We examined 31 children, the average age was 8.5±1.2 years. It is at this age that the active formation of facial morphology and anatomy takes place, which is directly related to the condition of the jaw bones. For diagnosis, an ultrasound technique was chosen – osteometry. This method is based on assessing the speed of propagation of ultrasound waves along the surface of the bone. In addition, in comparison with radiation, ultrasound methods for studying bone tissue have significant advantages, expressed in the reliability of the results obtained, low cost of procedures, ease of use, absence of radiation for personnel and patients, and minimal research time. From a practical point of view, this method is the most accessible in a dental office. Echoosteometry was carried out using the Echoosteometer EOM-01TS apparatus.Results. Based on the study, it was revealed that there was an imbalance in bone density in children who actively used chewing gum.