Evaluation of the Mandibular Canal Course in Southeast Serbian Population:
A Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study

Kosta Todorović^1,2, Marija Daković Bjelaković³, Jelena Popović^1,4, Aleksandar Mitić^1,4, Antonije Stanković⁵, Ana Todorović^1,6,
Nenad Stošić^1,4, Marija Nikolić^1,4

 

¹University of Niš, Faculty of Medicine, Niš, Serbia
²Clinic of Dental Medicine, Department of Oral Surgery, Niš, Serbia
³University of Niš, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Niš, Serbia
⁴Clinic of Dental Medicine, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics, Niš, Serbia
⁵PhD Student, University of Niš, Faculty of Medicine, Niš, Serbia
⁶Clinic of Dental Medicine, Department of Orthodontics, Niš, Serbia

 

 SUMMARY

 

 

Introduction/Aim. Oral surgical interventions in the mandibular region require detailed knowledge of the position and course of the mandibular canal. The aim of this study was to determine the most common course of mandibular canal on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images in the population of Southeast Serbia.
Material and method. One hundred ninety-four mandibular canals on CBCT images of 97 patients (48 male and 49 female) aged 18-65 years were analyzed in the study. According to Worthington, courses of mandibular canals are classified into catenary, descending, and straight. The obtained results were analyzed in relation to the gender and the age of the patients as well as to the left and right side of the mandible.
Results. The most common course of mandibular canal on the analyzed images was catenary (41.2%), then straight (37.1%), while the least was descending (21.6%). The most common type in males was the catenary (46.9%), while the straight type was the most common in females (39.6%). Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in the distribution of the mandibular canal course in relation to the gender, age of the patients, and the side of the mandible.
Conclusion. The observed variations emphasize the importance of careful individual preoperative analysis of CBCT images of each patient as well as planning different treatment modalities in the region of the mandible.

 Keywords: mandible, mandibular canal, anatomical variation, cone beam computed tomography

 

Corresponding author:

Kosta Todorović

e-mail:kosta_todorovic@yahoo.com