Location and Anatomic Characteristics of Mental Foramen in Dry Adult Human Mandibles

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to investigate the mental foramen (MF) location, the presence of accessory MF, and the effect of dentition on morphometric parameters using dry adult human mandibles. 
 Materials and Methods: A total of 249 dry adult human mandibles (116 dentate,133 edentate) were used. The location and number of the MF were recorded. The distances of the MF to the symphysis, posterior border of ramus, alveolar crest, and mandibular basis were measured. The symmetry of MF was examined. Student’s t-tests and Kolmogorov-Smirnov were used for statistical analysis. 
 Results: The presence of dentition affected the relative superoinferior location of MF on the corpus. No statistical difference was detected in the anteroposterior position of the MF between dentate and edentate mandibles (p>0.05). The most frequent position of the MF was the alignment of the second premolar. The prevalence of accessory MF was 4.41%, while the bilateral positioning of it was 0.40%. The symmetrical location of the MF was 83.62%. 
 Conclusion: The prevalence of bilateral positioning of the accessory MF in the Turkish dry mandibles was 0.40%. The presence of dentition affected the relative location of MF on the corpus in the superoinferior aspect. The clinician should be considered different locations, and the presence of accessory foramen in the surgical and endodontic treatments.