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Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the cortical bone thickness and bone width of the buccal shelf area and to determine the optimal sites for mini screw-implant placement. Methods: In this retrospective study, cortical bone thickness and buccal shelf bone width of 20 patients were measured at 3 sites on both right and left sides using cone-beam computed tomography images. The three sites were the measurements were done were areas buccal to the distobuccal cusps of mandibular first molar (6D), and buccal to the mesiobuccal (7M) and distobuccal (7D) cusps of mandibular second molar. Also, buccal shelf bone width was measured at 8 and 4 mm from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ). Results: The study group included 10 males with the mean age of 24.5 years and 10 females with the mean age of 26.5 years. There was statistically significant difference between the cortical bone thickness, between the left and the right sides in the mesiobuccal cusp of mandibular 2nd molar (MB7) and the distobuccal cusp of mandibular 2nd molar (DB7). The values obtained at MB7 on the right and left sides were 4.74±0.94 and 4.16±0.91 with p value of 0.006, respectively. Similarly, data obtained at DB7 on the right and left sides were 4.13±0.94 and 5.08±1.12 with p value of 15<0.001, respectively. Conclusions: Maximum bone thickness was found at distal region of the mandibular second molar at 8 mm from the CEJ, hence this is the ideal site for miniscrew placement in buccal shelf area (horizontal bone level at DB7=6.01 mm and vertical bone level at DB7=4.06 mm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]