Evaluating mandibular symphysis bone density according to various skeletal patterns with CBCT.

<bold>Objective: </bold>The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the bone density (BD) at the mandibular symphysis according to horizontal and vertical patterns using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).<bold>Setting and Sampling: </bold>Three hundred nineteen untreated adults with a mean age of 24 years.<bold>Materials and Methods: </bold>CBCT images were converted into the lateral cephalometric images, and tracings were performed for categorizing the patients based on skeletal features. Cortical BDs at B point, pogonion (Pog), genion (Ge) and menton (Me), and cancellous BDs of the mandibular symphysis were measured using CBCT images. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of horizontal and vertical skeletal patterns on BDs.<bold>Results: </bold>Females exhibited higher BD than males at the Me, Pog, Ge (P < .001). Hyperdivergent skeletal pattern showed significantly higher cortical BD than normovergent and hypodivergent skeletal patterns at Me (P < .001). Normovergent skeletal pattern showed significantly higher cortical BD than hypodivergent skeletal patterns at Me (P = .001). Class II skeletal pattern showed significantly higher cortical BD than Class I and III skeletal patterns at Me (P < .001) and Ge (P < .05). Class I skeletal pattern showed significantly higher mean cortical BD than Class III skeletal pattern at B point (P = .025). Cancellous BD was higher in Class III and hypodivergent skeletal patterns than others but showed no statistical significance.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Significant differences were identified across various skeletal patterns. Several mandibular symphyseal landmarks showed statistically significant differences in BD at Me, B point and Ge, with Me having the most statistically significant findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]