Morphometric Study of the Inferior Alveolar Canal in a Sudanese Population

Background and aim The inferior alveolar canal (IAC) may be positioned at different locations in the mandible. Understanding its morphology is essential to avoid iatrogenic injuries to the neurovascular bundle during mandibular surgeries and dental procedures. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a crucial imaging technique that provides visualization and presurgical measurement of the IAC and other maxillofacial structures. The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric analysis of the IAC in a Sudanese population using CBCT. Materials and methods This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in the implantology center from 01.03.2022 to 31.03.2023. Ethical approval was obtained, and informed consent was taken. A total of 100 subjects were selected, and they all underwent CBCT before planning treatment. All Sudanese patients in the age range of 18 years to 65 years were included, while all non-Sudanese patients and patients with preexisting mandibular diseases or trauma were excluded. The Blue Sky Plan software (Blue Sky Bio LLC, Grayslake, US) was used to measure all the parameters on CBCT. The vertical dimension of the mandible surrounding the IAC (above and below the canal) on both the right and left sides, as well as the horizontal dimension of the mandible surrounding the IAC (buccal and lingual) on both the right and left sides of the mandible, was noted. For comparison between the genders, the following parameters were measured vertically: in the ramus - ramus vertico apical (VA), ramus vertico occlusal (VO); in the body - body VO, body VA; and in the mental area - mental VO, mental VA. The following horizontal dimensions were also measured: in the ramus - ramus horizontal lingual (HL), ramus horizontal buccal (HB); in the body - body HB, body HL; and in the mental area - mental horizontal. The data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics version 20.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, US). Results Of the 100 Sudanese patients, 84% were female and 16% were male. According to gender, we discovered a significant difference (p=0.003) in ramus HB on the right side, but a statistically insignificant difference (p=0.443) on the left side. The ramus VO on the left side also revealed a significant gender difference in male and female patients (p=0.039). Gender-specific comparisons of the ramus VO on the right side revealed no differences (p=0.175). Similarly, the difference between the right and left side ramus VA according to gender was not statistically significant (p=0.829, p=0.07). Other parameters such as body VO, body VA, and ramus HL did not differ significantly in statistical terms between the two genders. Conclusion This study investigated the morphometric analysis in various mandibular measurements in a Sudanese population. Most of the morphometric parameters were similar on both sides of the mandible and showed no significant differences in the male and female populations. Ramus HB on the right side and ramus VO on the left side revealed significant gender differences, indicating that these parameters could be helpful in gender determination in case of missed identity, especially in forensic cases for the Sudanese population.