ABSTRACT
The mandible is a strategic structure in the craniofacial skeleton. Its complex three-dimensional structures are critical to facial form and function. More specifically, the mandible serves as a platform for the structures of the floor of the mouth, thereby playing a pivotal role in the maintenance of the airway. In addition to facilitating speech and swallowing, it also provides stability for the teeth that play a vital role in mastication and digestion. Finally, the mandibular bone largely determines the vertical height, transverse width and projection of the lower face. Any deviation from the normal contour of the lower border of the mandible will result in a very significant cosmetic deformity (1,2).
