Material & Method: Pre-treatment cone beam computed tomography of maxilla and mandible of 10 adult patients aged between 18-35 years and 10 adolescent patients aged between 12-17 years with equal distribution of males and females were taken using Kodak 9300(France). Cortical bone thickness in the interdental areas between first and second premolar, second premolar and molar, first and second molars at maxillary buccal and palatal sides and mandibular buccal sides only was measured at three different levels (at 2mm intervals each) from approximately 6 mm away from alveolar crest.

Results: The cortical bone thickness was found to be statistically significant (P<0.001) between adolescents and adults and between sites in each region. Higher cortical bone thickness is seen in adult mandibular buccal cortex region between first and second molars and at 10mm from the CEJ, followed by maxillary buccal region and maxillary palatal region, which increases from anterior to posterior sites.

Conclusion: The results indicated that adult mandibular buccal cortical bone to be thickest and adolescent palatal cortical bone thinnest among the sites evaluated. Hence CBCT provides reliable diagnostic information in accurate placement of mini-implants.