3-Dimensional Position of Mandibular Canal

Objective:To locate the mandibular canal and provide anatomical basis for the dental implantation.Methods:The mandibles of 50 normal individuals were examined by spiral computed tomography.The intramandibular course of mandibular canal and its dimension were measured.All measurements were analyzed with SPSS 13.0 software package.Results:The mandibular canal was close to the lingual side and the inferior margin of the mandible.Conclusion:The buccolingual location of the mandibular canal is important when the bone height from the ridge crest to the mandibular canal is limited.Damage to the mandibular canal can be avoided with minor changes to the implant diameter,design,and angulation,A dental implant with appropriate length or with a minor correction of angulation can be placed without causing any damage to the mandibular canal in the second molar area.