Impact of maras powder on mandibular bone microarchitecture: a fractal and radiomorphometric study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine how maras powder (MP) affects on the cortical and trabecular bone of the mandible using the radiomorphometric indexes and fractal dimension (FD). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of radiographic records of 150 male individuals, 50 of whom used MP, 50 of whom smoked cigarettes, and 50 of whom were healthy and did not use any tobacco derivatives, was performed. Cortical bone was evaluated with mandibular cortical width (MCW) and panoramic mandibular index (PMI). Trabecular bone in mandibular anterior was evaluated by FD. The ANOVA test was used to compare normally distributed variables across the three groups, and the Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare non-normally distributed variables across the three groups. RESULTS: The mean age of MP users was 42.92 ± 10.21; in smokers, 40.46 ± 10.51; and in the healthy control group, 40 ± 15.05. When the FD measurements were examined in regions of interest (ROI) 1, ROI 2, ROI 3, and the mean ROI values, no significant difference was found between the three groups in terms of FD (p > 0.05), but the fractal dimension was found to be lower in individuals using MP. No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of histogram values ​​and MCW and PMI measurements (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: No significant differences were found between users of MP, smokers, and healthy individuals. However, the decreasing trend in FD values ​​may indicate early effects of MP. Studies with larger sample sizes and advanced imaging techniques are needed.