RADOGRAPHIC STUDY OF HEIGHT OF MANDIBULAR CANAL

Lee, Byeong Do

Abstract

Mandibular canal is an important anatomic structure for implant surgery. Many clinicians favor a panoramic procedure instead of tomographic or computed tomographic procedure for the pre-surgery because of low cost & easy manipulation. But mandibular canal will not be observable on panoramic X-ray film when bony surrounding structure of mandibular canal is not thick. In this case, we should predict the location of mandibular canal by comparing the opposite side or supposing the relative height of mandibular canal in mandibular body if other obserable methods unusable, The author takened the 261 panoramic views of healthy adults and measured the distance (alveolar process) between alveolar crest and superior border of mandibular canal, distance(basal bone) between superior border of mandibular canal and inferior cortex of mandible, respectively The obtained results were as followings. 1. 56 cases(21.4%) from 261 cases showed inevident walls of mandibular canal on X-ray films. 2. In comparing the 1st molar area and the 2nd molar area, the portions of mandibular 1st molar showed greater height of alveolar process area and the portions of mandibular 2nd molar showed greater height of basal bone area. respectively. 3. Distances from alveolar crest to inferior cortex represented 2.02-2.04 times(mental foramen), 2.47-2.52 times(2nd molar), 2.84-2.86 times(1st molar) of distance from mandibular canal to inferior cortex. 4. Usually each measurements showed non-significant differences (P>0.05) between right and left side of mandible. 5. The average length of anterior loops of mental foramens was measured about 2.285mm.