Morphological and Morphometric Analysis of Gonial Angle with Reference to Lingula in South Indian Mandibles

Abstract

Introduction: Gonial angle is located at the junction of lower border and posterior region of mandible. Lingula is a bony projection which provides attachment for sphenomandibular ligament and is superior to mandibular foramen. The purpose of this study was to research the gonial angle in reference to the position of the lingula helps to guide the oral surgeons to stop injury to inferior alveolar nerve and peripheral blood vessels during surgeries. Materials and Methods: The distance from the gonial angle to the tip of the lingula and the gonial angle to the base of the lingula on both right and left sides of the mandible was measured using a protractor. The values are calculated from gonial angle with reference to lingula on both sides. The obtained values of both sides were correlated using descriptive statistical analysis and by applying paired t-test. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant for this study. Results: The mean value for right gonial angle to base of  lingula is 26.54 mm ± 3.30 mm and the left gonial angle to base of lingula is 25.59 ± 0.56 mm. The right gonial angle to lingula tip is 33.25 ± 2.65 and the left gonial angle to lingula tip is 32.83 ± 1.36mm. The mean gonial angle on the right side is 88.60° and on the left side it is 89.40°. Conclusion: It was found that there was no correlation between the right and left side gonial angle to mandibular lingula since the mandibular angle, was measured within the group of unknown sex of dry human mandible.