title: [Three-dimensional survey of the whole mandibular canal and mandibular morphology by cone beam computed tomography in normal young people].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This research aimed to analyze the three-dimensional position of mandibular canal (MC) and man of MC and its relationship with the surrounding structures dibular morphology of normal young males and females by using data from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), as well as to provide an anatomical basis for clinical surgery of the mandible.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normal occlusion and CBCT scans of 29 normal young people were conducted. InVivo 5 software was used to reconstruct the mandible, anchor the points, and measure the jaw shape and three-dimensional course of MC. All measurements were analyzed with SSPS 17.0 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MC lingual bone cortex was thinner than the MC buccal bone cortex, and the distance of the MC to the buccal bone cortex gradually increased. However, the distance of the MC to the tongue bone cortex and alveolar crest gradually decreased from proximal to distal. In addition, the distance of the MC to the mandibular lower margin was minimal at the first molar and reached the maximum at the second premolar. No significant difference was observed among the heights, widths, and thicknesses of the left and right sides of the cortical bone of the mandibular body cross sections. From the midline to the farthest point, the height and lower one-third thickness of the lingual cortical bone of the mandibular body cross sections gradually decreased, whereas the width of the upper cross section and upper one-third thickness of the buccal cortical bone gradually increased. Significant difference was observed in some measured values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After MC enter into the mandibular foramen, it moved away from the lingual to the buccal bone but gradually returned to the lingual bone; its general course is closer to the lingual bone. The mandibles of males are thicker than those of females. CBCT can accurately display the course of MC and its relationship with the surrounding structures.
authors.forename: Lanlan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Weiguo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000539:Alveolar Process; D001641:Bicuspid; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006928:Hyoid Bone; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008963:Molar; D012984:Software; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014059:Tongue; D015050:Zygoma