Cone-Beam CT for the detection of the mandibular incisive canal

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of the mandibular incisive canal (MIC) in Taiwanese patients using CBCT.

Methods:  A total of 35 patients (16 male and 19 female) ranged in age from 23 to 83 years. A Cone-Beam CT (Picasso-Trio, Vatech, Korea) used as pre-implant X-ray examination. Two inspectors define and locate MIC’s visibility on the CBCT images through the Picasso Ezimplant 3D software. The incidence, diameter and extension length of MIC were measured. The comparison between the different groups was performed with JMP 8.0 the two sample t-test at a level of p < 0.05.

Results: The incidence of incisive canal was 85.71 % and the diameter ranged from 0.8 to 2.42 mm. The mean extension from anterior loop is 14.09 ± 3.09 mm (15.57 ± 2.42 male and 14.23 ± 2.58 female, p > 0.05). The mean buccal distance from MIC is 3.94 ± 1.47 mm, The mean lingual distance from MIC is 4.15 ± 0.99 mm, The mean lower border distance from MIC is 8.51 ± 1.44 mm.

Conclusions: The high incidence of the MIC indicated the potential risk of nerve injuries during implantation. It is important to recognize the precise position of MIC using CBCT.