Background: Precise anatomy and course of mandibular canal is important to obtain the desired outcome of different mandibular surgical procedures and circumvent various surgical complications. This study aimed to document the presence, frequency, and type of mandibular canal variations using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: CBCT images of 100 patients with a total of 200 sides (right and left) were obtained retrospectively from the database of Government Dental College and Hospital, Mumbai. The presence and type of mandibular canal variation were evaluated and classified according to Naitoh et al. classification (2009) along with Rashsuren et al. modification (2014). Prevalence rates were determined according to gender, side of the mandible, and type. Morphometric analysis of the mandibular canal variations was made. Statistical analysis with Chi-square, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Scheffe's tests were performed. Results: Mandibular canal variations were found in 13% of patients and 8% of total sides. Type I dental canal (37.50%) was the most common type of accessory canal followed by Type II retromolar canal (31.25%), Type III forward canal type (25%), Type V trifid canal (6.25%), and Type IV buccolingual canal (0%). The retromolar canal had the maximum length and diameter and most of the accessory mandibular canals (60%) had a diameter of more than 50% of that of the main canal. Conclusion: Bifid mandibular canal was the most common anatomical variation of the mandibular canal found in this study with dental canal type being the most frequent type. To avoid iatrogenic injuries, a presurgical detailed evaluation of the mandibular canal using CBCT was suggested.

The mechanism behind TMD causing otalgia and otolaryngological symptoms remains diffuse and unclear. Some of the theories proposed by researchers are as follows:

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The purpose of this study was to determine the variations in the number of canals and its morphology in permanent mandibular first molars using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in a subset of Indian population. A total of 350 CBCT scans were collected and evaluated in all three orthogonal planes to determine the number of root canals and study their anatomic variations using Vertucci’s classification.: The total number of roots and root canals, the root canal configuration, the incidence, and the correlations between left- and right-side occurrences and between males and females were analysed. Statistically significant differences were evaluated using the chi-square test with SPSS 16.0 for Windows (SPSS, Chicago, IL), with significance set at p < 0.05.: The results of this study showed that predominantly, two thirds of the subjects had type VI mesial canal configuration and two-thirds had type I distal canal configuration. Also there was significant variance in the canal anatomy across gender and age of the subjects.: CBCT is a clinically useful tool in understanding the variations in root canal morphology, which guides in the assessment of the canal morphology aiding in successful root canal treatment.

Introduction: Identification of humans during a lifetime, as well as acknowledgment even after death, is an inalienable right and forms the core of human dignity. A pivotal step in the identification of human remains is sex determination, as age and stature discernment depends on it. Determination of sex from unknown skeletal remains is extremely challenging, especially when fragmented bony remains are available. Among the various morphological landmarks of the mandible, the mental foramen is considered to be one of the most stable that can be used in sex authentication. Hence, it was used to identify a sexual dimorphism in a mixed Indian population in the present study. Materials and Methods: Two-hundred cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were selected from the archival database and analysed for the present study using morphometric features of the mental foramen i.e., the measurement of: The distance from the superior border of the mental foramen to the inferior border of the mandible (SLM), The distance from the inferior border of the mental foramen to the inferior border of the mandible (ILM) and the distance from the superior border of the mental foramen to the inferior border of the mental foramen (VD). Results: Females showed a caudal positioning of mental foramen toward the base of the mandible as compared to males. A statistically significant difference was noted in the dimensions of SLM, ILM and VD, with all the three distances being larger in males when compared to females. Logistic regression analysis showed an overall significance of P < 0.0001 and a prediction score of 89%. Conclusion: Mental foramen morphometrics on CBCT enables sex determination in the Indian population with a predictive score of 89%.