A Comparative Evaluation of Assess Mandibular Canal Visibility in CBCT Images

Abstract

Background:The mandibular canal (MC) is a bilateral anatomical structure extending from the mandibular foramen to the mental foramen carrying the inferior alveolar nerve, artery and vein

The present study was conducted to assess mandibular canal visibility in CBCT images.

Materials & Methods:102 subjects in age ranged 18- 40 years of age underwent CBCT imaging (i-CAT) performed with voxel size of 0.3 mm and exposure cycle of 8.5 seconds. The visibility of the MC on the cross-sectional images was assessed in one of four mandibular regions at the first premolar (PM1), second premolar (PM2),first molar (M1) and second molar (M2) sites as positive or negative.

Results: Out of 102 subjects, males were 42 and females were 60. Mandibular canal at first premolar (PM1) region was present     in 40 and absent in 62, at second premolar (PM2)    region was present in 52 and absent  in 50, at first molar (M1) region was present in 100 and absent in 2, at second molar (M2) region was present in 102 regions, in females was present in 54 and in males in 40 patients. The difference was significant (P< 0.05).

Conclusion:Mandibular canal visibility was maximum at second molar region and in males as compared to females.