Master’s Degree Awarded to Mr. Ibrahim Al-Kawkabani in Orthodontics

Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed Hadi Ahmed Al-Kawkabani was awarded a Master’s Degree in Orthodontics with for his thesis titled: Reliability of Gonial Angle and Mandibular Canal Curvature Obtained from Panoramic Radiographs in a Selected Group of Yemeni Adults, which was submitted to the Department of Orthodontics, Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry – Sana’a University. The MA defense was held on Thursday, October 30, 2025.

The MA Viva-voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:

#	Committee Members	Designation	Position
1	Prof. Ghamdan Abdullah Ahmed Al-Harazi	Internal Examiner	Chair
2	Assoc. Prof. Abdulqadir Mohammed Qasem Zabara	Main Supervisor	Member
3	Assoc. Prof. Khaled Ahmed Ali Al-Dharai	External Examiner	Member

The study aimed to evaluate and compare the reliability of panoramic radiography (OPG/PR) in measuring the Gonial Angle (GA) and Mandibular Canal Curvature (MCC) against lateral cephalometric radiography (LCR) in a sample of Yemeni adults.

According to available literature, this research is among the first worldwide to address the topic comprehensively through multiple dimensions, including:

An equal gender distribution (45 males and 45 females).
Vertical growth pattern classification into low, average, and high types.
Dental classification according to Angle’s system: Class I, Class II, and Class III.
Inclusion of Mandibular Canal Curvature (MCC) measurements along with Gonial Angle (GA) on both PR and LCR images.

The research yielded several findings summarized as follows:

Panoramic radiography (PR) demonstrated good reliability in measuring the Gonial Angle (GA) bilaterally, showing no significant differences between sides and acceptable consistency with cephalometric measurements.
For Mandibular Canal Curvature (MCC), PR showed a moderate correlation with LCR results, but was not sufficiently accurate for precise diagnostic decisions compared with LCR/CBCT.

In light of these findings, the researcher recommended that future studies:

Panoramic radiography (PR) can be used as a reliable option for measuring the Gonial Angle (GA) in daily clinical practice, provided that head positioning and image quality standards are strictly maintained.
PR alone is not recommended for accurate diagnostic or surgical decisions involving MCC; LCR/CBCT remain the most accurate standards.
The study highlights the importance of standardizing measurement protocols and growth pattern classifications, and encourages multi-center studies on larger Yemeni samples to enhance generalizability.

The defense session was attended by a number of academics, researchers, colleagues and the researcher’s family members.‎