Mandibular buccal shelf morphology among Indian adults using CBCT across class I, class II and class III malocclusions.

The mandibular buccal shelf (MBS) is recognized as a stable site for miniscrew insertion due to its dense cortical bone, although its morphology varies across malocclusion types. Therefore, it is of interest to compare buccal shelf width and cortical bone thickness among adults with Class I, Class II and Class III skeletal patterns using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). A retrospective analysis of 80 CBCT scans was performed, with measurements taken at standardized apical levels and statistically compared using one-way ANOVA. Results showed that Class III subjects exhibited significantly greater buccal shelf width and cortical thickness than Class I and Class II groups, indicating more favorable bone morphology for orthodontic anchorage. These findings suggest that MBS characteristics are most advantageous in Class III patients, highlighting the importance of individualized CBCT-based assessment for miniscrew planning.