The International Tinnitus Journal

Morphological and Dimensional Measurements' Study of Human Mandibular Canal Using CBCT Technique

Introduction: The Mandibular Canal (MC) is the major neurovascular canal in the lower jaw, it runs from the mandibular foramen, which present in the medial surface of the ramus of the mandible, to the Mental Foramen (MF). A total of 82 patients (164 hemi-mandibular CBCT scans) were randomly selected from different specialized dental centers in Iraq. These cases were collected during the extended period from September 2023 to March 2024. The patients (42 males and 40 females) were divided into four age groups. Results: Of this study revealed that for the course of the MC, the progressive descent type was the most common, appearing in 121 (73.78%) scans, followed by the catenary-like type in 31 (18.90%) scans, then the linear type in 12 (7.32%) scans. The MC’s length on the right side ranged between (54.1–78.4) mm with mean value being (67.039 ± 4.611) mm, while on the left side it ranged between (53–75.6) mm with mean value being (66.833 ± 4.475) mm. It was found that the mean VD of the MC on both sides reached its highest value at the SM area and then gradually decreased until the SP area. Individuals of male gender had a higher mean HD of the MC than female individuals, a statistically significant finding at all the measured points. The mean distance between AC and the upper margin of the MC was significantly higher in male patients than female patients at all the measured points. The mean distance between IBM and the lower margin of the MC was greater in male patients than their female counterparts (7.503 mm versus 7.109 mm), but was not statistically significant. The position of the MC was found to be near the LCP in the SM and FM areas, while it was close to the BCP in the SP area. Conclusion: The progressive descent type was the most frequent type of the MC course, followed by the catenarylike type. The length of the MC was significantly greater in males than females. Age, side, and sex had no significant influence on the mean VD of the MC. While the mean HD of the MC was significantly greater in males than females. The mean MC-BCP and MC-AC distances presented marked gender differences, with greater values found in males than females. While the mean MC-LCP and MC-IBM distances were not affected by sex.