Location of the Mandibular Canal and Thickness of the Occlusal Cortical Bone at Dental Implant Sites in the Lower Second Premolar and First Molar

Jui-Ting Hsu,Ming-Tzu Tsai,Yen-Wen Shen,Lih-Jyh Fuh,Rou-Wei Li,Jay Wu,Ming-Gene Tu,Heng-Li Huang

doi:10.1155/2013/608570

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the location of the mandibular canal and the thickness of the occlusal cortical bone at dental implant sites in the lower second premolar and lower first molar by using dental cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Seventy-nine sites (47 second premolar and 32 first molar sites) were identified in the dental CBCT examinations of 47 patients. In this study, 4 parameters were measured: (1) MC—the distance from the mandibular canal to the upper border of the mandible; (2) CD—the distance from the mandibular canal to the buccal border of the mandible; (3) MD—the distance from the mandibular canal to the lingual border of the mandible; (4) TC—the thickness of the cortical bone at the occlusal side. A statistical analysis was employed to compare the size and differences between these 4 parameters at the lower second premolar and lower first molar. Regarding the MC and MD, the experimental results showed no statistical difference between the first molar and second premolar. However, the TC for the second premolar was greater than that of the first molar. Thus, careful consideration is necessary in choosing the size of and operation type for dental implants.

Highlights

The location of the mandibular canal is a critical factor that can influence dental implant surgery [1,2,3,4,5]
In addition to dental implant surgery, the inferior alveolar nerve may be damaged by osteotomies or fracture repair; a strong understanding of the intrabony anatomy of the mandibular canal is required before conducting dental implant surgery or operative procedures
The cortical bone thickness of the alveolar bone at the implant site is a critical factor affecting the success of dental implant surgery, because the primary stability of the implant body insertion in the alveolar bone increases with the thickness of the cortical bone [9,10,11,12,13]

Summary

Introduction

The location of the mandibular canal is a critical factor that can influence dental implant surgery [1,2,3,4,5]. Dental implant surgery demonstrates a 6.5%–37% incidence of temporary or permanent paralysis, or even sensory loss, because of inferior alveolar nerve damage in the mandibular canal resulting from the poor assessment of bone length and the subsequent use of implant bodies of excessive lengths [2, 3, 6,7,8]. To avoid damage, it is crucial to properly assess the mandibular canal location in the mandible before dental implant procedures. Superior osseointegration enhances the long-term survival rate of the implant body

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Discussion

Conclusion