Fig 1.
Lateral view of a reconstructed right hemimandible showing the volumes of interest.
C: Condyle; Selection is defined by the line connecting the two notches superior and inferior of this area. M: Attachment site of the superficial masseter muscle; the border line connects the notches ventrocaudal and craniodorsal to the mandibular angle. D: Alveolar cortical bone; the selection is defined by two lines drawn perpendicular to the lower border of the mandible, mesial and distal of the second molar.
Fig 2.
Landmarks and measurement items for linear analysis (A) and angular analysis (B) by 3D reconstructions.
Me: Menton (most inferior point of mandibular symphysis). Gn: Gnathion (most anterior point on bony contour of mandibular symphysis). Go: Gonion (most outward and everted point on angle formed by junction of ramus and body of mandible). Co: Condylion (most superoposterior point on mandibular condyle). Cp: Coronoid process (most superior point on coronoid process of mandible). Me-Co: Total length of the mandible (distance measured between menton and condylion). Me-Go: Base length of the mandible (distance measured between menton and gonion). CpH: Height of coronoid process (a perpendicular line from coronoid process to the line connected to gnathion and menton). CoH: Height of mandibular ramus (a perpendicular line from condylion to the line connected to gnathion and menton). CoGo/GnMe: Gonial angle (angle made from the line connected to condylion and gonion and the line connected to gnathion and menton). CoGn/GnMe: Ramus angle (angle made from condylion, gnathion and menton).
Fig 3.
Lateral (3-A) and medial (3-B) views of the cortical mineralization.
Left column: bones of the hard-diet group, Right column: bones of the soft-diet group. The colours red, yellow, green, blue, and purple indicate mineralization ranges 718.4–863.0, 863.0–1007.7, 1007.7–1152.4, 1152.4–1297.0, and 1297.0–1441.7 mg HA/ccm, respectively.
Fig 4.
Graphs depicting the material mineralization of the cortex at the (A) Condyle, (B) Attachment of the masseter, (C) The part below the second tooth.
**Significant difference between both groups (p<0.05).
Fig 5.
Graphs depicting the bone volume.
(A) Condyle, (B) Attachment of the masseter, (C) The part below the second tooth. **Significant difference between both groups (p<0.05).
Fig 6.
(A) Condyle, (B) Attachment of the masseter, (C) The part below the second tooth. **Significant difference between both groups (p<0.05).
Table 1.
Comparison of mandibular measurements between the hard- and soft-diet groups.
Fig 7.
A representative 3D reconstructions of the hard-diet group (A) and the soft-diet group (B).
Scale bar = 5 mm. Note the much smaller size of the soft-diet mandible.