Abstract
Introduction: The mandibular buccal shelf has been presented lately, as an available extra-alveolar mini-screw insertion site, which is located bilaterally in the posterior part of the mandibular body, buccal to the roots of the first and second molars and anterior to the oblique line of the mandibular ramus specially at the buccal bone lateral to the distal root of the second molar, with screw insertion located 4 mm buccal to the CEJ.
The objective: was to evaluate the bone thickness of the mandibular buccal shelf in different age groups for mini-screw insertion by using CBCT digital radiographs.
Methods: 90 CBCT digital records were selected randomly and were grouped according to age. Each group contains 30 CBCT digital records as follows: Group A: with age from 14 to 18 years old. Group B: with age from 19 to 23 years old. Group C: with age from 24 to 28 years old. then quantitative bone characteristics of the mandibular buccal shelf of bone were evaluated.
Results: showed that no statistically significant differences between all age groups at all the sites.
Conclusion: Mandibular buccal shelf offers optimal sites for the insertion of mini-screw.