Plain X-ray radiography analyses of 4-, 12- and 24-week-old mice.

<p>The mandibles dissected from the 4-, 12- and 24-week-old normal mice (images in the upper portion) and cKO mice (lower portion) were examined by X-ray radiography. At 4 weeks, the furcation region between the mesial and distal roots of the first mandibular molars in the cKO mice had apparent radiolucency compared with the same area of the normal mice (a, arrows). At 12 weeks, the interdental region between the first and second mandibular molars in the cKO mice revealed remarkable bone loss compared with the normal mice (b). At 24 weeks, alveolar bone in the furcation and interdental regions of the cKO mice showed dramatically lower radiopacity than the normal mice (c).