Accessory mental foramina: prevalence, position and diameter assessed by cone-beam computed tomography and digital panoramic radiographs.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the presentation of accessory mental foramina (AMF) on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and digital panoramic examinations (PAN). STUDY DESIGN Imaging examinations (i.e., CBCT and PAN) of 100 patients (200 hemi-mandibles) were assessed. AMF prevalence, diameter, and location related to adjacent teeth and to the mental foramen (MF) were analyzed. RESULTS On CBCT images, the AMF was observed in 3% of the patients: two unilateral cases and one bilateral case, with mean diameter of 0.93 mm (±0.3); no AMF was identified on PAN. Most AMF were located between the premolars, either superiorly (two cases) or mesially (two cases) to the MF. The mean horizontal distance to the corresponding MF was 2.3 mm (±1.0) and the mean vertical distance was 4.0 mm (±0.7). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that CBCT is an effective tool for presurgical tridimensional assessment of the neurovascular structures, such as MF and its variations; On the other hand, PAN examinations were not able to show the AMF cases assessed on CBCT.

[1]  K. Orhan,et al.  Evaluation of the mental foramen and accessory mental foramen in Turkish patients using cone‐beam computed tomography images reconstructed from a volumetric rendering program , 2012, Clinical anatomy.

[2]  J. Seidman,et al.  Brazilian urban population genetic structure reveals a high degree of admixture , 2011, European Journal of Human Genetics.

[3]  E. Ariji,et al.  Demonstration of the accessory mental foramen using rotational panoramic radiography compared with cone-beam computed tomography. , 2011, Clinical oral implants research.

[4]  N. van Assche,et al.  Characterisation of additional mental foramina through cone beam computed tomography. , 2011, Journal of oral rehabilitation.

[5]  A. Weiglein,et al.  Position of the mental foramen: an anatomical study , 2011, Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift.

[6]  I. Rubira-Bullen,et al.  Absence and hypoplasia of the mental foramen detected in CBCT images: a case report , 2011, Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy.

[7]  B. Benninger,et al.  Dental implant placement investigation: is the anterior loop of the mental nerve clinically relevant? , 2011, Journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery : official journal of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

[8]  K. Orhan,et al.  Evaluation of bifid mandibular canals with cone-beam computed tomography in a Turkish adult population: a retrospective study , 2011, Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy.

[9]  H. Balcioglu,et al.  The position of the mandibular canal and histologic feature of the inferior alveolar nerve , 2010, Clinical anatomy.

[10]  E. Ariji,et al.  Comparison between cone-beam and multislice computed tomography depicting mandibular neurovascular canal structures. , 2010, Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology, and endodontics.

[11]  R. Jacobs,et al.  Chronologic and geographic variability of neurovascular structures in the human mandible. , 2009, Forensic science international.

[12]  S. Haghanifar,et al.  Radiographic evaluation of the mental foramen in a selected Iranian population. , 2009, Indian journal of dental research : official publication of Indian Society for Dental Research.

[13]  E. Ariji,et al.  Accessory mental foramen assessment using cone-beam computed tomography. , 2009, Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology, and endodontics.

[14]  Kaoru Kobayashi,et al.  Characteristics of accessory mental foramina observed on limited cone-beam computed tomography images. , 2008, Journal of endodontics.

[15]  A. Gahleitner,et al.  New safety margins for chin bone harvesting based on the course of the mandibular incisive canal in CT. , 2008, Clinical oral implants research.

[16]  Christos Angelopoulos,et al.  Comparison between digital panoramic radiography and cone-beam computed tomography for the identification of the mandibular canal as part of presurgical dental implant assessment. , 2008, Journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery : official journal of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

[17]  T. Hanihara,et al.  Measurement of anterior loop length for the mandibular canal and diameter of the mandibular incisive canal to avoid nerve damage when installing endosseous implants in the interforaminal region. , 2007, Journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery : official journal of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

[18]  P. Adriaensens,et al.  Neurovascularization of the anterior jaw bones revisited using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. , 2007, Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology, and endodontics.

[19]  G. Greenstein,et al.  The mental foramen and nerve: clinical and anatomical factors related to dental implant placement: a literature review. , 2006, Journal of periodontology.

[20]  M. Diago,et al.  Failure of locoregional anesthesia in dental practice. Review of the literature. , 2006 .

[21]  S. Sangvichien,et al.  Mental foramen in Thais: an anatomical variation related to gender and side , 2006, Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy.

[22]  M. Peñarrocha Diago,et al.  Failure of locoregional anesthesia in dental practice. Review of the literature. , 2006, Medicina oral, patologia oral y cirugia bucal.

[23]  R. Jacobs,et al.  An assessment on spiral CT scan of the superior and inferior genial spinal foramina and canals , 2005, Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy.

[24]  M. Quirynen,et al.  Presence and course of the incisive canal in the human mandibular interforaminal region: two-dimensional imaging versus anatomical observations , 2003, Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy.

[25]  Wei Cheong Ngeow,et al.  The location of the mental foramen in a selected Malay population. , 2003, Journal of oral science.

[26]  Alan G T Payne,et al.  Anterior loop of the mental nerve: a morphological and radiographic study. , 2003, Clinical oral implants research.

[27]  M. Quirynen,et al.  Appearance, location, course, and morphology of the mandibular incisive canal: an assessment on spiral CT scan. , 2002, Dento maxillo facial radiology.

[28]  O. Oğuz,et al.  Evaluation of location of mandibular and mental foramina in dry, young, adult human male, dentulous mandibles. , 2002, The West Indian medical journal.

[29]  T. Hanihara,et al.  Frequency variations of discrete cranial traits in major human populations. IV. Vessel and nerve related variations , 2001, Journal of anatomy.

[30]  M. Pyle,et al.  The frequency of accessory mental foramina in four ethnic groups. , 1998, Archives of oral biology.

[31]  G. Townsend,et al.  Morphological variability of the human inferior alveolar nerve , 1997, Clinical anatomy.

[32]  W. Shankland.  The position of the mental foramen in Asian Indians. , 1994, The Journal of oral implantology.

[33]  S. W. nd.  The position of the mental foramen in Asian Indians. , 1994 .

[34]  H. Toh,et al.  Anatomical study of the accessory mental foramen and the distribution of its nerve. , 1992, Okajimas folia anatomica Japonica.

[35]  C Lindh,et al.  Visualisation of the mandibular canal by different radiographic techniques. , 1992, Clinical oral implants research.

[36]  I. Kaffe,et al.  Roentgenologic study of the mental foramen. , 1976, Oral surgery, oral medicine, and oral pathology.

[37]  R. Sutton.  The practical significance of mandibular accessory foramina. , 1974, Australian dental journal.

[38]  A. Riesenfeld.  Multiple infraorbital, ethmoidal, and mental foramina in the races of man. , 1956, American journal of physical anthropology.