Evaluation of the nerovascular structures in the anterior region of the mandible with cone beam computed tomography

The anterior region of the mandible, also referred to as the interforaminal region, located between the right and left mental foramen, contains important anatomical structures and variations. Interforaminal region has important anatomic structures, which are subject to complications including mental nevre, incisive canal, lingual foramen and vascular canals, lingual artery, submental artery and mylohyoid artery. To identify localizations and variations of anatomic these structures through radiological imaging techniques is crucial in terms of preventing neurovascular complications during and after surgical procedures. The purpose of this study is to examine the mental foramen, accessory mental foramen, alveolar loop, mandibular incisive canal and mandibular lingual foramen in the anterior mandibular region retrospectively. 200 cases' CBCT records in the archives of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Department of Dentistry of Gaziantep University were analyzed retrospectively. Axial, sagittal, coronal, cross-sectional and three-dimensional reformat images were used to evaluate the dimensions, prevalence values, variations and the distance to surrounding tissues of these anatomical structures. The findings of these measurements were compared according to dental status and gender. Mental foramen location was not statically different acocording to gender. Accessory mental foramen were observed in %4.5 of cases. Alveolar loop were found in 35 (%17.5) of 200 CBCT images. In this study the mandibular incisive canal was visualized in %82 of CBCT images, and its mean lenght anterior to the mental foramen was approximately 7.47±4.56 mm on the right hemimandible, 7.22±4.45 mm on the left hemimandible. As a consequence, cone beam computed tomography systems are recommended in this region for successful imaging of mental foramen, accessory mental foramen, alveolar loop, mandibular incisive canal and mandibular lingual foramen before surgical procedures in the interforaminal region.