Cone-beam computed tomography measurement of the position of the inferior alveolar nerve canal in mandibular prognathism

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the anatomic position of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) canal in patients with mandibular prognathism using the cone-beam CT (CBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty rami from 25 patients were evaluated. The images were taken by i-CAT and reconstructed 3-dimensionally using the Simplant 11 program. The linear distances between the IAN canal to the buccal cortex (a, a* and a**), from the IAN canal to the alveolar crest (b and b*) and the anterior margin (b**) and finally the buccal cortical thickness (c, c* and c**) were measured at three reference planes (VP, OP and HP). RESULTS: On the left side, the average distance of a, b and c were 7.12, 15.96 and 3.60 mm on the VP plane, respectively. On the OP, the distance of a*, b* and c* was 6.11, 8.83 and 2.63 mm. For the HP, the distance of a**, b** and c** was 4.84, 10.11 and 2.30 mm. On the right side, the distance of a, b and c, on the VP, was 7.10, 16.13 and 3.42 mm, respectively. On the OP, the distance of a*, b* and c* was 4.77, 8.75 and 2.68 mm. On the HP, the distance of a*, b* and c** was 4.55, 9.84 and 2.38 mm. Regarding the difference between genders, the distance in male's was longer than female's on the VP (p=0.019), and was thicker in males than females on the HP (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: The CBCT data provided accurate information about the location and course of the IAN.