Cone beam computed tomography evaluation of mandibular canal anterior loop morphology and volume in a group of Turkish patients

Figures & data

Figure 1. Cohort of patients distributed into two subgroups according to age and gender.

Figure 2. Three-dimensional CBCT (a), cross-sectional (b), panoramic reconstructed images (c) showing the mandibular canal and anterior loop.

Figure 3. Cross-sectional (a) and sagittal (b) CBCT images showing the measurements for anterior loop morphology.

Figure 4. Volume of mandibular canal and anterior loop measured three-dimensionally (using 3D Invivo software).

Table 1. Inter-observer consistency of measurements.

	Observer 1–2
Groups	ICC	CV (%)
Length from the medial margin of the mental foramen	0.917	2.14
Distance between the buccal border of the anterior loop and the buccal alveolar wall	0.921	2.11
Distance between the lingual border of the anterior loop and the lingual alveolar wall	0.881	1.79
Distance between the inferior border of the anterior loop and the inferior border of the mandible	0.878	1.78

Note: CV, coefficient of variation; ICC, intraclass correlation coefficient.

Table 2. Mean values of anterior loop measurements (mm) according to age groups and gender.

	23–39 yrs					40–59 yrs					60–79 yrs
	Right		Left			Right		Left			Right		Left
	Male	Female	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Male	Female	Total	Total
Length from the medial margin of the mental foramen to the anterior loop	3.1	3.15	3.28	3.09	3.26	3.2	3.0	3.2	2.9	3.08	3.2	2.9	3.3	3.0	3.11	3.15
Distance between the buccal border of the anterior loop and the buccal alveolar wall	2.3	2.5	2.5	2.54	2.46	2.3	2.0	2.2	2.1	2.19	2.0	1.9	2.3	2.1	2.07	2.24
Distance between the lingual border of the anterior loop and the lingual alveolar wall	4.5^a	4.2^a	4.9^b	4.4^b	4.49	4.4^c	4.0^c	4.5^d	4.2^d	4.26	4.1^e	3.8^e	4.2^f	3.8^f	3.97	4.24
Distance between the inferior border of the anterior loop and the inferior border of the mandible	8.5^a	8.2^a	8.7^b	8.4^b	8.45	8.8^c	8.5^c	9.0^d	8.7^d	8.75	8.6^e	8.3^e	8.7^f	8.2^f	8.44	8.63

Note: Superscript letters indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Same letters show statistical significance within the same age groups.

Table 3. Mean values (mm³) of anterior loop measurements according to age groups and gender.

	23–39 yrs					40–59 yrs					60–79 yrs					Total
	Right		Left		Total	Right		Left		Total	Right		Left		Total
	Male	Female	Male	Female		Male	Female	Male	Female		Male	Female	Male	Female
Mandibular canal volume	1235^a	1080^a	1270^b	1135^b	1180	1202^c	986^c	1195^d	1097^d	1120	1196^e	1098^e	1142^f	1044^f	1120	1140
Anterior loop volume	98^a	82^a	94^b	84^b	92	96^c	84^c	97^d	83^d	90	94^e	81^e	92^f	85^f	88	90

Note: Superscript letters indicate statistical significance (p < 0.05). Same letters show statistical significance within the same age groups.