Objective：To determine the effectiveness and validity of morphometric analysis made from dental panoramic tomograms (DPTs) for predicting mandibular bone mineral density (BMD) while taking the result of dual energy Xray absorptiometry (DXA) as gold standard. Methods: Twenty healthy subjects (8 male, 12 female) with intact dentition, aged from 1126 years old, were included in the present study. The BMD of each patient was measured at the lumbar spine (L1L4) by DXA; the results were obtained based on the density of surface (g/cm2). Dental panoramic radiography was carried out using dental panoramic tomography (RTG230/ENR, made in Italy). Mandibular cortical thickness (MCT) and panoramic mandibular index (PMI) values were calculated and their relationship with DXA measurements were subjected to correlation analysis. The validity of MCT and PMI measurements were assessed by sensitivity and specificity. Results: We found mandibular BMD was positively correlated with MCT (r=0.268, P<0.05) and PMI (r=0.251 3, P<0.05).The sensitivity,specificity and Youden index of MCT were 50%, 93.75%, and 0.437 5, respectively; the numbers of PMI were 50%, 87.50%, and 0.375, respectively.Conclusion: MCT and PMI might be potential indicators for mandibular BMD; they are simple and applicable in clinic.