Dento-Osseous Variability of the Mental Foramen: A Retrospective CT-Based Morphometric Study.

Background and

Objectives

This study aimed to identify osseous and dental mandibular landmarks that consistently indicate the location of the mental foramen, the primary reference for the mental-incisive trunk block. Materials and

Methods

Computed Tomography (CT) scans of the mandibles of 100 patients from a Romanian population (N = 100) were retrospectively analyzed to measure the following: distances from the mental foramen to the basal border of the mandible, alveolar process/crest, and midline, as well as the position of the foramen relative to the lower premolars. These measurements were correlated with patients' age (divided into three groups: 18-30 years, 30-60 years, >60 years) and gender.

Results

The mental foramen was found to be closer to the alveolar crest (13.3 mm with SD = 3.3 in males and 10.7 mm with SD = 4.4 in females, overall mean = 12.3 mm, SD = 4.0) (p = 0.001) than to the inferior border of the mandible (14.3 mm with SD = 1.8 in males and 12.9 mm with SD = 1.6 in females, overall mean = 13.7 mm, SD = 1.9) (p < 0.001). In addition, the foramen was most frequently located adjacent to the second premolar (27.0%) rather than between the premolars (20.0%) and at a distance of ≃2.5 cm lateral to the midline (overall mean = 25.2 mm, SD = 3.5) (p = 0.034).

Conclusions

Following the measurements performed, the mental foramen was identified as being closer to the alveolar crest in the vertical direction, at a distance of approximately 2.5 cm lateral to the midline, and most frequently located at the level of the second lower premolar.