Evaluation of the height, depth and angle of submandibular gland fossa and correlation of depth with mandibular canal position using Cone beam computed tomography

Accurate identification of anatomical landmarks in the posterior mandibular region before implant surgery is mandatory in order to avoid complications. The purpose of this study was to determine of the height, depth and angle of the submandibular gland fossa and its relationship with the mandibular canal using CBCT.

In this cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study, 130 CBCT images of 60 men and 70 women (with age range of 70-40 years)were investigated. The height and the deepest points of the submandibular gland fossa and the starting point of concavity between the alveolar crest and the upper wall of the alveolar canal were measured.The status of the deepest fossa point compared to the inferior alveolar canal was classified into three groups.Data were analyzed using independent t, Fisher’s exact and chi-square tests.

The mean height and depth of the submandibular fossa in men were significantly higher than women. The mean depth of submandibular foss less than 2mm was seen in women more frequently than men and the cavity depth of 2-3 mm was seen in men more frequently than women. However,there was no significant difference between men and women in terms of the mean angle of the submandibular concavity and there was a direct and significant relationship between the depth and angle of the submandibular concavity.That is, as the depth of the submandibular fossa increased, the height and angle increased.There was no significant relationship between the position of the mandibular canal with the deepest point of the submandibular gland fossa and gender and between the starting point of the undercut on CBCT cross-sections and gender.

It is important to evaluate the anatomy of the concavity and thickness of the alveolar bone in the submandibular fossa using CBCT during implant treatment, especially in men due to the greater depth of the concavity.