Evaluation of Mandibular Buccal Shelf Bone Thickness and Height for Miniscrew Placement Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

Introduction: Buccal shelf area (BSA) is a recommended anatomic site for mini-screw insertion. Stability of miniscrew is determined by quantity of bone available in the region. Objective: To determine bone thickness and height of BSA for optimum placement of miniscrew. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 40 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans (23 males, 17 females) of patients aged 19-38 years. Patients were further divided into two age groups 19-28 years and 29-38 years. Measurements were made at 4 different sites: mandibular first molar mesial root (M6) and distal root (D6), second molar mesial root (M7) and distal root (D7). Bone thicknesses were measured at 6 mm and 11 mm apical to the cementoenamel junction (CEJ), and bone heights at 4 mm and 5 mm buccal to the CEJ. Analysis of variance was used to compare bone thickness and height at different sites. Independent t-Test compared the difference in bone thickness and height between gender and age groups. Results: Bone thickness significantly increased from M6 to D7 at both 6 mm and 11 mm levels (PP Conclusion: The optimal sites for miniscrew placement in buccal shelf area are distal root of second molar at 6 mm, and mesial and distal roots of second molar at 11 mm apical to CEJ.