The aim of this study was to compare the location and the shape of the mandibular lingula in skeletal class I and III patients using panoramic radiography and cone-beam computed tomography.

The sample group included 190 skeletal class I patients and 157 class III patients. The location of the lingula in relation to the deepest point of the coronoid notch was classified into 3 types using panoramic radiographs. The shapes of the lingulae were classified into nodular, triangular, truncated, or assimilated types using cone-beam computed tomographic images. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test.

The tips of the lingulae were at the same level as the coronoid notch in 75.3% of skeletal class I patients and above the coronoid notch in 66.6% of class III patients. The positions of the lingulae in relation to the deepest point of the coronoid notch showed statistically significant differences between class I and class III patients. The most common shape was nodular, and the least common was the assimilated shape. Although this trend was not statistically significant, the triangular shape was more frequently observed in class III patients than in class I patients.

The locations and the shapes of the mandibular lingulae were variable. Most of the lingulae were at the same level as the coronoid notch in skeletal class I patients and above the coronoid notch in skeletal class III patients. The nodular and assimilated-shaped lingulae were the most and the least prevalent, respectively.