Anat Cell Biol.  2016 Dec;49(4):241-248. 10.5115/acb.2016.49.4.241.

Morphometric study on mandibular foramen and incidence of accessory mandibular foramen in mandibles of south Indian population and its clinical implications in inferior alveolar nerve block

• Shalini R
• Ravi Varman C
• Manoranjitham R
• Veeramuthu M

• KMID: 2365553
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.2016.49.4.241

Abstract

The mandibular foramen is a landmark for procedures like inferior alveolar nerve block, mandibular implant treatment, and mandibular osteotomies. The present study was aimed to identify the precise location of the mandibular foramen and the incidence of accessory mandibular foramen in dry adult mandibles of South Indian population. The distance of mandibular foramen from the anterior border of the ramus, posterior border of the ramus, mandibular notch, base of the mandible, third molar, and apex of retromolar trigone was measured with a vernier caliper in 204 mandibles. The mean distance of mandibular foramen from the anterior border of ramus of mandible was 17.11±2.74 mm on the right side and 17.41±3.05 mm on the left side, from posterior border was 10.47±2.11 mm on the right side and 9.68±2.03 mm on the left side, from mandibular notch was 21.74±2.74 mm on the right side and 21.92±3.33 mm on the left side, from the base of the ramus was 22.33±3.32 mm on the right side and 25.35±4.5 mm on the left side, from the third molar tooth was 22.84±3.94 mm on the right side and 23.23±4.21 mm on the left side, from the apex of retromolar trigone was 12.27±12.13 mm on the right side and 12.13±2.35 mm on the left side. Accessory mandibular foramen was present in 32.36% of mandibles. Knowledge of location mandibular foramen is useful to the maxillofacial surgeons, oncologists and radiologists.

Keyword

Mandible; Mandibular foramen; Mandibular notch; Accessory Mandibular foramen; Inferior alveolar nerve block

MeSH Terms

Adult
Humans
Incidence*
Mandible*
Mandibular Nerve*
Mandibular Osteotomy
Molar, Third
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Tooth

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Medial surface of mandibular ramus showing measurements taken from various landmarks to determine the position of the mandibular foramen. AB-MF, distance from the midpoint of anterior margin of mandibular foramen to the nearest point on the anterior border of the ramus of mandible; Go, angle of the mandible; MF-MB, sistance from inferior limit of mandibular foramen to the base of the mandible; MF-MN, distance from the lowest point of mandibular notch to the inferior limit of mandibular foramen; PB-MF, distance from the midpoint of posterior margin of mandibular foramen to the nearest point on the posterior border of the ramus of mandible.

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  Fig. 2 Medial surface of mandibular ramus showing distance of mandibular foramen from apex of retromolar trigone and from midpoint of third molar socket. MF, mandibular foramen; RT, apex of retromolar trigone.

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  Fig. 3 Medial surface of mandibular ramus showing the scheme of divisions in anteroposterior and superoinferior axis.

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  Fig. 4 Medial surface of mandibular ramus showing an accessory mandibular foramen. AMF, accessory mandibular foramen; MF, mandibular foramen.

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