Sexual Dimorphism and Morphological Variations of the Human Mandible: A Cross-Sectional Morphometric Study

Background: The mandible is a key component of the facial skeleton, essential for mastication, speech, and facial symmetry. Morphometric evaluation of the mandible is important in orthodontics, forensic anthropology, and maxillofacial surgery for understanding craniofacial growth patterns and skeletal variations. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed290 human mandibles (166 males, 124 females; mean age 64.4 ± 10.46 years). Various parameters, including gonial angle, bigonial width, ramus breadth, bicondylar breadth, mandibular length, lower jaw length, mandibular index, body thickness, coronoid height, bimental breadth, symphyseal height, and body height, were measured. Morphological variations of the lingula, coronoid process, and genial tubercles were also examined. Statistical analysis was performed using independent t-tests and chi-square tests. Results: Most measurements showed significant sexual dimorphism, with larger values in males, while the gonial angle was significantly higher in females. The mandibular index showed no significant sex difference. Morphological analysis revealed that the triangular lingula and triangular coronoid process were the most frequent forms, and Type II genial tubercles were the most common pattern. Conclusion: Mandibular morphometry demonstrates clear sexual dimorphism and clinically relevant anatomical variations. These findings contribute valuable information for orthodontic diagnosis, forensic identification, and maxillofacial surgical planning.

Keywords: Mandible, morphometry, sexual dimorphism, orthodontics, craniofacial anatomy.