Feline mandibular characteristic on the computed tomographic image

The anatomical structures of the mandible, especially the mandibular canal, play an important role in successful oral and maxillofacial surgery in cats. The mandibular canal contains important structures, including the inferior alveolar nerve, along with accompanying arteries and veins. Currently, the study of the mandibular appearance and its canal have been studied and reported only in dogs. However, in cats, it has not been previously mentioned. The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the differences in the appearance of the mandible and mandibular canal between brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic cats using computed tomographic images. In this study, we classified feline skulls into two types which are brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic breeds based on breed characteristics. Computed Tomographic images of twenty-two cats were recruited from the patient database of the Diagnostic Imaging Department, Small Animal Hospital, Chulalongkorn University, from 2018 to 2024 and Animal Space Animal Hospital. The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) files were used to measure various mandibular parameters, including mandibular height, mandibular width, distance from the vestibular surface to the mandibular canal, distance from the lingual surface to the mandibular canal, distance from the ventral surface to the mandibular canal, and mandibular canal depth. All parameters were evaluated along the entire length of the mandibular canal. The results showed that the mandibular width at the mesial root (MR) of the first molar (1st M) in the brachycephalic group was significantly greater than that in the non-brachycephalic group (P = 0.031). Additionally, brachycephalic cats had a significantly shallower mandibular canal depth across all measured locations compared to non-brachycephalic cats (P < 0.05). This information regarding mandibular morphology along the mandibular canal between the two skull types could assist veterinarians in achieving more successful outcomes in maxillofacial surgery and dentistry.