OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to rebuild the anatomic structures of the mandibular bone and the canal, and to testify the reliability of the rebuilt model.

METHODS15 mandibular bones with teeth are chosen, and a three-dimensional model was built with the method of CT. The slices vertical to the compensating curve were made in every dental position. Then the authors collected the data of alveoli and mandibular canal in every slice. The same work was done to the bone specimen, and then comparative analysis was done.

RESULTSThe wideness of the alveoli and 10 mm bellow increased from mesial to distal position. It was the same of the alveoli from the top to the bottom. The mandibular canal lied in the inner and inferior side of the mandibular body. There was no significant difference in data collected with these two methods.

CONCLUSIONDifferent types of dental implants should be chosen according to the anatomic characteristic of the mandibular bone in every dental position before the operation to avoid complications. And a reliable, accurate and direct method of planning an implant operation is to rebuild a three-dimensional model.

Adult ; Computer Graphics ; Humans ; Mandible ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; innervation ; Mandibular Nerve ; anatomy & histology ; Models, Anatomic ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods