Bone‐seeking radiopharmaceutical uptake as an indicator of active alveolar bone loss in untreated and surgically treated teeth in beagle dogs

The use of bone‐seeking radiopharmaceutical uptake as an indicator of “active” alveolar bone loss was assessed in six beagle dogs. Periodontal surgery was performed in one‐half of the mouth in each dog in an attempt to assure a range of rates of bone loss in these animals. Radiographic and bone‐seeking radiopharmaceutical uptake measurements were taken prior to treatment and during a nine month post‐treatment period. A single measurement of uptake was compared to the rate of bone loss determined from repeated radiographs taken over a six month period subsequent to the uptake examination. Bone‐seeking radiopharmaceutical uptake was an accurate indicator of “active” bone loss as measured radiographically six months later in 83.7% of the teeth studied.