Study of mandibular thickness in dentulous and edentulous mandibles

Abstract

There are several methods of reconstruction for lower human jaw, but the most common and safest is using plates and screws. The size of the lower jaw bone varies from person to person, therefore plates and screws are available in different sizes. 1 A critical buccal bone thickness of 2 mm is recommended to prevent vertical resorption. A minimum bone thickness of 6 mm would be required for successful placement of a standard-sized ±4-mm-diameter implant. 2 In the present study Mandibular Body Thickness (MBT) was studied in 110 dry mandibles to evaluate the ideal length of dental implants used during the corrective procedures on the mandibular alveolar process. All the mandibles in our study had adequate bone thickness needed for implant placement without traumatizing the sublingual artery.