Trifurcated Mental Foramina: A Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Incidental Finding During the Implant Treatment Planning.

Abstract

The mental foramen is a known skull anatomical structure located bilaterally on the mandible along the buccal cortical plate. It is located approximately between the roots of premolars in the anteroposterior dimension, and its supero-inferior level on the alveolar height varies in every individual. The position of the mental foramen is very crucial when surgical interventions are planned in the area. An accessory mental foramina can be very well detected in the three-dimensional (3D) imaging modality, especially in 3D volume rendering images. It can still be appreciated in two-dimensional (2D) imaging modalities such as a panoramic; however, at times it can be confused with periapical pathology, especially in cases where caries are present in the teeth. Three-dimensional imaging modality plays a critical role in identifying such anatomical variation, and hence, it is important to evaluate any surgical site in three dimensions prior to surgical intervention.