The Morphology of the Mandibular Canal in Korean

Kim, Hee Jin; Lee, Seung Il; Jung, In Hyuck

Abstract

Ninety-three dry mandibles in Korean adults were radiographed and fifty-two hemimandibles were sectioned in an attempt to analyze the intramandibular courses of the mandibular canal and the internal structure of the mandibles. On radiographs, the intramandibular course of the mandibular canals was most in which located in the middle portion of the mandible, the shape of the mandibular canals was almost round and the average diameter of the mandibular canals was 2.0 +/- 0.4mm, encapsulated by thin cortical plates of 0.5mm thickness on sectioned specimens. In regard of facio-lingual relation, the prevalence of pattern which the mandibular canal ran nearly to the lingual cortical plate, and turned abruptly towards the buccal side was 70% of observed specimens. According to superior-inferior relation, the prevalence in which mandibular canals ran inferiorly, anteriorly and then, had an angle superiorly in the second mandibular molar region was 39.0%. Taken all together, in most of the case, the anterior border of the mandibular canal is located around the premolar region, and the mental foramen is opened nearly the second premolar. Therefore, it may be suggested that osteotomy has to be taken at the anterior place next to the canine region, at the 2.4mm below to the mental foramen on genioplasty.