Correlation of Radiographic Mental Foramen Position and Occulusion in Three Different Indian Populations

Structural Features of the Mental Foramen in a Saudi Subpopulation: A Retrospective CBCT Study

Introduction

Accurate and precise knowledge about the position, size, and shape of the mental foramen (MF) are critical in avoiding procedural complications. The MF's anatomical features vary among different ethnic groups, and various radiographic techniques have been used to determine these variations.

Aims

To evaluate the MF's shape, vertical and horizontal positions, and distance from the border of the mandible. To evaluate the differences among genders as they pertain to the right and left sides of the mandible and research the bilateral symmetry regarding the same variables.

Materials and Methods

Cone beam computer tomography (CBCT) scans of 155 Saudi patients (69 males and 86 females) who visited the college of dentistry's clinics were obtained from the college database for this retrospective study. All the scans were analyzed by 3 calibrated examiners. The data collected was analyzed statistically, and results were obtained.

Results

The MF was located under the mandibular second premolar in 56.9% of cases, whereas in 26.9% of cases, it was located between the first and second mandibular premolar. The most prevalent position was below the level of the apices of the mandibular premolar teeth (87.2%). The round shape was most frequent (44.9%) compared to the H-oval (34.7%) and V-oval (20.4%). The V-oval shape was more frequent in males, while the H-oval shape was more frequent in females. The average distance from the center of the MF to the mandibular border was 14.03 ± 1.58 mm, with males exhibiting a greater distance than females. Overall, there were no significant differences between the bilateral symmetry and the right and left sides for all parameters.

Conclusion

The most common position of the MF was under the root apex of the mandibular second premolar, with an average distance of about 14 mm from the border of the mandible. The position and shape of the MF were the same bilaterally in the majority of individuals.

CBCT Evaluation of the Vital Mandibular Interforaminal Anatomical Structures

BACKGROUND

Oral implants are considered safe in the mandibular anterior region, but complications often occur if vital structures such as inferior alveolar nerve, mandibular incisive canal (MIC), anterior mental loop (AL), or mental foramen (MF) are not properly identified.

AIM

The aim was to evaluate vital anatomical structures in the mandibular interforaminal region and to investigate sexual dimorphism and differences with respect to left and right side regions using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighty CBCT scans (forty male and forty female) were analyzed for MF position and shape, presence and measurement of AL and MIC (both in mm), emergence patterns of mandibular canal, and symmetry of MF and AL. A pilot study was conducted on five patients to determine interobserver reliability among two oral and maxillofacial radiologists, considered for interpretation of CBCT images. All the scans were taken by CS 9300, CBCT machine adjusted at 80 kVp, 15 mA, voxel size 0.3 × 0.3 × 0.3, and field of view of 10 × 5 (mandible only). The acquired images were reconstructed into multiplanar views (axial, panoramic, and cross-sectional) for evaluation.

RESULTS

The mean age of the study population was 42.64 ± 16.22 years, with males noted with slightly higher age. Position 4 of MF (below the apex of the second premolar) was noted the most on the right side, whereas position 3 (between the first and second premolars) was noted on the left side, with 75% of symmetrical MF position. The oval-shaped MF was most common among both genders and sides. The prevalence of MIC was noted in 93.75% of patients with a mean length of 12.09 ± 5.95 mm. The prevalence of AL was 53.13%, with a mean length of 1.07 ± 1.42 mm. No statistically significant sexual dimorphism (P > 0.05) was found between genders or sides for all the evaluated interforaminal parameters.

CONCLUSION

CBCT evaluation of vital anatomical structures needs to be elicited before planning an interforaminal placement of implants, and no sexual dimorphism was found regarding them.

Mandibular Canal Course and the Position of the Mental Foramen by Panoramic X-Ray in Chilean Individuals

The object of this study was to analyse the morphology and morphometry of the mandibular canal (MC) course and the mental foramen (MF) position in relation to the inferior teeth by panoramic X-ray (PAN). Vertical linear measurements were taken of each hemimandible to obtain the length of the distances analysed. We studied the MF position in relation to inferior premolar roots and the relation between the MC and mandibular teeth roots (MCR). The MF was usually located between the apices of the first and second premolars in younger individuals and immediately below the apex of the inferior second premolar in older individuals. The MC evinced proximity to the third molar, and this relation was not affected by sex or age group. The distances analysed in this study presented a marked difference between gender, with larger values in males than in females. The variations which may occur between individuals and different populations make it essential for dentists and surgeons to plan carefully before procedures involving this region.

Determination of the position of mental foramen and frequency of anterior loop in Saudi population. A retrospective CBCT study

Objectives

To determine the position of mental foramen (MF) and frequency of anterior loop (AL) using dental cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Materials and methods

The study involved the evaluation of 302 CBCT scans (196 males, 106 females). The position of MF was determined with respect to adjacent teeth, nearest root apex of adjacent teeth and mandibular borders. MF position was also assessed based on gender and age. In addition, prevalence of anterior loop was evaluated by categorizing the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) patterns into linear, perpendicular and anterior looping.

Results

The study revealed that the most common position of MF was below the apex of 2nd premolar accounting for a total of 52.8% of scans whereas, only 29.6% observed MF between 1st and 2nd premolar (p > 0.05). 38.7% of MF were located at a distance of 1–3 mm from the nearest root apex (2nd premolar), followed by a distance of less than 1 mm in 17.05 of cases. 63.2% of foramen on left side of the mandible were observed below the apex of 2nd premolar in females (p = 0.023). Statistically significant findings were observed with regards to position of MF in different age groups (p < 0.05). The most common IAC pattern observed was linear in nature which accounted for 46.2% of cases followed by perpendicular pattern (38.6%). AL was found only in 15.2% of cases.

Conclusions

Our sample population most commonly exhibited MF below the apex of 2nd premolar with linear IAC pattern. AL was regarded as the least common pattern in Saudi population.