The presence of the mandibular incisive canal: a panoramic radiographic examination.

PURPOSE: The mandibular incisive canal (MIC) is the anterior extension of the mandibular canal and its presence is of interest in surgical procedures in the chin region. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of a MIC in panoramic radiographs (OPGs).

METHODS

One thousand forty-five OPGs were randomly chosen from patient population. The data collected included patient characteristics and MIC presence/absence according to the type of the dentition. Measurements (in mm) were performed evaluating the following: (A) minimum and (B) maximum distance from the alveolar ridge; (C) thickness and (D) length of the canal; and (E) distance (in bilateral cases) between the canals.

RESULTS

The MIC was found in 2.7% of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the frequency of the MIC in OPGs and suggests that this anatomical structure should be considered to prevent injury during surgery.