title: Dentition, bone loss, and the aging of the mandible.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Facial aging is a dynamic process with impact on both the soft tissues and the bones. Despite a growing body of evidence, controversy still exists regarding absolute characteristics of the aging facial skeleton.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate various mandibular measurements in different age groups and to delineate the relation of the dentition to these parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety Caucasian mandibles were assessed for the following distance landmarks: gonion-gonion, infradentale-gnathion, mental foramen-mandibular crest, mental foramen-inferior mandibular border, gnathion-gonion, condyle-gonion, and gonial angle. The measurements were compared according to age, sex, and dentition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of teeth decreased significantly with increasing age in males (P = .002) and females (P < .001). There were no other statistically significant differences between age groups for the rest of the parameters. The infradentale-gnathion distance (P = .005) and the mental foramen-mandibular crest distance (P < .001) was found to increase with total number of teeth. Other parameters did not show a significant relation to dentition. All parameters were significantly larger in the male subgroups with the exception of gnathion-gonion distance and gonial angle. Bilateral mandibular measurements were symmetric except for the gonial angle, which was more obtuse on the right side in males (P = .007) and females (P = .018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support previous evidence that dentition is the main determinant of the morphology of the mandible. The skeletal characteristics are variable among individuals, and a longitudinal study is required to better understand age-related changes of the mandible.
authors.affiliation: Cleveland Clinic, Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: Cemile Nurdan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.forename: Halil Safak
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Uygur
authors.forename: Francis A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Papay
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Zins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003817:Dentition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: age; aging; bone; dentition; facial skeleton; facial surgery; mandible; morphology