Bilateral accessory mental foramina and canals: Report of an extremely rare anatomical variation

Abstract

The mental nerve is a somatic afferent sensory nerve of the mandibular nerve that emerges from the mental foramen and which presents as a single circular, or elliptical, bilateral radiolucent area in the premolar region. The mental foramen is an important anatomical structure of particular importance in local anesthesia and surgical procedures in terms of achieving effective mandibular nerve blocks and avoiding injuries to the neurovascular bundles. Accessory mental foramen is a rare anatomical variation. Even so, in order to avoid neurovascular complications, particular attention should be paid to the possible occurrence of one or more mental foramen during surgical procedures involving the mandible. The purpose of the present report was to present a case the bilateral accessory mental foramina observed on cone-beam computed tomography and review the relevant literature.