Uncommon trajectory variations of the mandibular canal and of the mandibular incisive canal: case report

Abstract

This paper aims to report and discuss a case in which unusual anatomical variations were observed in the mandibular canal (MC) and the mandibular incisive canal (MIC) in a same patient. A 49-year-old healthy female was referred for mandibular dental implant placement. Panoramic radiography and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) were performed. Cross-sections, axial, coronal, panoramic reconstructions and volume rendering were obtained. The panoramic radiograph did not show any evidence of abnormality. CBCT showed a bifid MC on the right side. It extended to the buccal cortex, exteriorized for 6mm and returned to its conventional trajectory to reach the mental foramen. On the left side, the MIC initially followed its normal trajectory for 4mm but, in the canine region, it also extended to the buccal cortex and exteriorized. The advent of CBCT in Dentistry allowed a greater accuracy in the diagnosis of anatomical variations in the jaws, preventing injury to the neurovascular bundle and enabling an adequate surgical planning in the region.