Analysis of mandibular structure using 3D facial computed tomography.

Abstract

This study measured and analyzed the position and dimension of genial tubercle (GT) and mental foramen (MF) STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review study. Tertiary care teaching hospital. Two hundred ten subjects were included who received 3-dimensional (3D) facial computed tomography (CT), and the GT and MF were evaluated. Subjects were divided into 4 groups by gender and skeletal type. Seven variables were measured: (1) height of GT (GTH), (2) width of GT (GTW), (3) distance from apices of lower incisors to superior border of GT (LI-SGT), (4) distance from inferior border of GT to inferior border of mandible (IGT-IBM), (5) thickness of anterior mandible (MT), (6) distance from symphysis of mandible to MF (S-MF), and (7) distance from superior border of GT to inferior border of mandible (SGT-IBM). All the parameters showed marked differences in individuals. Class I males showed longer GTH, MT, and SGT-IBM than class I females (P < .05). IGT-IBM and S-MF were longer in class II males than in class I females (P < .05). LI-SGT and IGT-IBM also showed personal variation. Anatomical features of mandibular structures showed individual variations. GTH, IGT-IBM, MT, S-MF, and SGT-IBM also showed differences between the groups.