Abstract
We evaluated the anatomical variations of the mandibular canal associated with various facial types, age, sex, and side of the face studied. We analyzed 348 hemimandibles in subjects without a history of trauma, lesions in the lower arch, or orthognathic or repair surgery in the posterior mandible. Facial type was determined using the VERT index. The canal path was classified as Type 1 (a large, single structure passing very close to the root tips); Type 2 (a canal passing closest to the mandibular base); and Type 3 (a canal present in the posterior mandibular region, with a lower canal running through the mandibular branch, reaching the anterior region). Bifid canals (type 3) were classified into four categories according to the course and number of mandibular canals. The brachyfacial and mesofacial types presented a Type 1 canal in 95.5% (n=166) of subjects, in dolichofacial types, 68.2% (n=45) presented a Type 2 canal, while in the mesofacial type, a lower prevalence of the bifid mandibular canal was observed (13.0%, n=23) than in the other facial types. The bifid canal showed significant association with facial type only (p < 0.05), but no significant association was observed with the anterior loop type (p > 0.05). Facial type is significantly associated with the path and morphological variations of the mandibular canal, independently of the side of the face studied, age, and sex.
Highlights
A recent study investigated 603 digital panoramic radiographs of fully dentate patients, with complete root formation. e facial types of these individuals were assessed using cephalometric analysis, based on the VERT index of International Journal of Dentistry
In Type 1 canals, the mandibular canal was positioned a maximum of 2 mm from the apex of the third molars; in Type 2 canals, the mandibular canal was midway between the root apex of the third molars and the base of the jaw; and in Type 3 canals, the mandibular canal was positioned a maximum of 2 mm from the cortical bone of the jaw base. ey showed that there were more Type 2 canals (p 0.0012) and fewer Type 1 (p 0.0336) canals in female than in male patients, but that there were no associations of canal types with facial types
Facial types are described as dolichofacial, mesofacial, and brachyfacial. ere is a positive correlation between the height and average distance from the alveolar process to the upper wall of the mandibular canal
Summary
Of the patients assessed (174 CBCT scans and 348 hemimandibles), 52.9% were female and 47.1% male; 51.1% had a mesofacial type, 29.9% had a brachyfacial type, and 19.0% had a dolichofacial type. In brachyfacial and mesofacial types, the mandibular canal mostly ran close to the root apexes (63.5% and 58.4% of cases, respectively). E results of the data overall were similar to that for the sides individually; brachyfacial types and most mesofacial types presented with a canal path running next to the root apexes (65.4% and 55.4% of the studied canals, respectively). E dolichofacial group showed a higher prevalence of bifid canals where the bifurcations joined up within the base (Type II) than in the other two facial types. The main canal mostly ran closest to the base of the jaw, with branches extending to the apexes (68.2% (n 45) of the canals) and only 4.5% (n 3) of cases showed a canal running near the root tips. Our results contrast with those presented by Schmidt et al [6], who found no significant association between
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