Mandible At Birth

Anatomical Features of Mandible

Angle 170 degree

Sigmoid Notch, Condyle and Coronoid Process

o Sigmoid Notch is shallow
o Condyle is present at one line with the lower border of the mandible
o Coronoid process is higher than the condyle

Position of Mental Foramen

o Below the crypt of lower D and lower border of the mandible

Position of Mandibular Canal

o Near the lower border of the mandible

Condition of Teeth
o No teeth erupted but do contain deciduous and permanent(6s) tooth germs
o Will see crypts or bony compartments where the teeth grows(A,-E +6)

Mental Protuberance(Chin)
o No Mental protuberance as the mandible consists of two separate halves at
birth and they are united in the midline by fibrous tissue. This area of union is
called symphysis menti

Mandible at 3 Years

Anatomical Features of Mandible

Angle 140 degree

Sigmoid Notch, Condyle and coronoid process

o Sigmoid Notch becomes deeper than at birth
o Condyle is at a lower level than the coronoid process

Position of Mental Foramen

o Below the socket of the deciduous lower first molar(D)

Position of Mandibular Canal

o Midway due to increase in height of the alveolar bony socket

Condition of Teeth
o Eruption of all deciduous teeth

Mental Protuberance(Chin)
o Fibrosis tissue of the symphysis menti has been replaced by bony structure so
symphysis menti is no longer there(usually happens around 12 -18 months)

Mandible at 6 years

Anatomical Features of Mandible

Angle somewhere between 110-140 degree but it is actually closer to 110

Sigmoid Notch, Condyle and coronoid process

o Condyle is lower than the coronoid process
o Sigmoid notch is deeper than at 3 years

Position of Mental Foramen

o Opens nearly midway between upper and lower border of the mandibular
body

Position of Mandibular Canal

o Mandibular Canal is situated little above the mylohyoid(midway) line
o Mylohyoid located lingually, midway between upper and lower border

Condition of Teeth
o Mixed dentition period starts when the permanent first molar erupts

Mental Protuberance(Chin) present

Mandible at Adult Age

Anatomical Features of Mandible

Angle 110-120 degree

Sigmoid Notch, Condyle and coronoid process

o Sigmoid notch becomes deeper
o Condyle present at a higher level than coronoid process

Position of Mental Foramen

o Mental foramen is present midway and below the socket of L4 and L5
premolars are not as wide as molars.
o Also present half way between upper and lower borders

Position of Mandibular Canal

o Runs parallel to the mylohyoid line
o Present at the midway between upper and lower borders

Condition of Teeth
o Permanent dentition

Mental Protuberance(Chin) present which gives the characteristic chin appearance of

the adult. This area has selective deposition(more in male than female)

Mandible at Old Age

Anatomical Features of Mandible

Angle 140 degree (oblique angle)

Sigmoid Notch, Condyle and coronoid process

o Sigmoid notch is shallower than in adult
o Condylar head is more or less bent backward until it is in a lower level than
coronoid process

Position of Mental Foramen

o Closer to the upper border of the body of mandible due to resorption of the
alveolar bone

Position of Mandibular Canal

o Closer to the upper border of the body of mandible due to resorption of the
alveolar bone

Condition of Teeth may loose teeth

Mental Protuberance(Chin) prominent

o

Mental protuberance can be very prominent esp when the patient has lost all their teeth and
have not replaced it. Maxilla is fixed while mandible is not so for the patient to speak or
eat properly, the mandible must be moved forward to touch the maxilla. This cause the
muscle under the chin to stretch. The tension of this muscle cause bone deposition on the
mental protuberance area very prominent

Dental age is not a persons actual age, it is depended on whether a person still have his/her teeth.