• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.37-42
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The mental foramen (MF) is an important anatomical structure during local anesthesia and surgical procedures in terms of achieving effective mental nerve blocks and avoiding injuries to the neurovascular bundles. Thus, understanding the anatomic features of the mandibular canal and accessory mental foramen in Korean could contribute to the surgical anatomic assessment. This study was to elucidate frequency, position and course of AMF (accessory mental foramen) in Korean using 3D cone beam computed tomography. Materials and Methods: The CBCT (Conbeam computed tomography) DICOM data (Alphard, Asahi, Japan) from 540 patients in korean were analyzed. We investigated images of 3D CBCT using Ondemand (CyberMed, Korea) software program on the incidence and anatomical characteristics of accessory foramen. Results: The accessory mental foramina were found in 17 patients. Accessory mental foramina exist predominantly in the apical area of the second premolar and posteroinferior area of the mental foramen. The accessory branches of the mandibular canal showed common characteristics in the course of gently sloping posterosuperior direction in the buccal surface area. The size of most AMF was obviously smaller than that of MF. Conclusion: We could identify frequency, position and course of AMF (accessory mental foramen) by the anatomical study of the accessory mental foramen using 3D cone beam CT in Korean.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.25-29
• /
• 2012

During maxillofacial surgery, the infraorbital and mental nerves are blocked at eac foramen to induce local anesthesia. This study examined the relative locations of the infraorbital foramen (IOF) and mental foramen (MF) based on softtissue landmarks. Twenty-eight hemifacial cadavers were dissected to expose the IOF and MF. The distances between the bilateral IOFs, the bilateral MFs, the alae of the nose (alares), and the corners of the mouth (cheilions) were measured directly on cadavers by using a digital vernier caliper. The vertical and horizontal distances of the IOF and MF relative to the alare and cheilion were measured indirectly on digital photographs using Adobe Photoshop (Adobe, CA, USA). The distance between the bilateral IOFs ($58.09{\pm}4.04mm$) was longer than the distance between the bilateral MFs ($50.32{\pm}1.93mm$). The distances between the bilateral alares and cheilions were $41.22{\pm}3.44mm$ and $58.43{\pm}6.62mm$, respectively. The IOF was located $12.92{\pm}3.75mm$ superior and $7.88{\pm}2.56mm$ lateral to the alare, and the vertical angle (Angle 1) between these structures was $31.67{\pm}13.36^{\circ}$ superolaterally. The MF was located $21.83{\pm}3.26mm$ inferior and $5.56{\pm}3.37mm$ medial to the cheilion, and the vertical angle (Angle 2) between these structures was $14.05{\pm}10.12^{\circ}$ inferomedially. In conclusion, these results provide more detailed information about the locations of the IOF and MF relative to soft-tissue landmarks.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.1.1-1.13
• /
• 2022

Objectives: This study assessed the shape and anatomical relationship of the mental foramen (MF) to mandibular posterior teeth in an Indian sub-population. Materials and Methods: In total, 475 existing cone-beam computed tomography records exhibiting 950 MFs and including the bilateral presence of mandibular premolars and first molars were assessed. Images were evaluated 3-dimensionally to ascertain the position, shape, and anatomical proximity of MFs to mandibular teeth. The position and shape of MFs were measured and calculated. The Pythagorean theorem was used to calculate the distance between the root apex of the mandibular teeth and the MF. Results: MFs exhibited a predominantly round shape (left: 67% and right: 65%) followed by oval (left: 30% and right: 31%) in both males and females and in different age groups. The root apices of mandibular second premolars (left: 71% and right: 62%) were closest to the MF, followed by distal to the first premolars and mesial to the second premolars. The mean vertical distance between the MF and the nearest tooth apex calculated on sagittal sections was 2.20 mm on the right side and 2.32 mm on the left side; no significant difference was found according to sex or age. The distance between the apices of the teeth and the MF was ≥ 4 mm (left; 4.09 ± 1.27 mm and right; 4.01 ± 1.15 mm). Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for clinicians to be aware of the location of the MF in treatment planning and while performing non-surgical and surgical endodontic procedures.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.9-13
• /
• 2016

Background: Position of the facial foramina is important for regional block and for various maxillofacial surgical procedures. In this study, we report on anthropometry and morphology of these foramina using three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) data. Methods: A retrospective review was performed for all patients who have undergone 3D-CT scan of the facial skeleton for reasons other than fracture or deformity of the facial skeleton. Anthropometry of the supraorbital, infraorbital, and mental foramina (SOF, IOF, MF) were described in relation to facial midline, inferior orbital margin, and inferior mandibular margin (FM, IOM, IMM). This data was analyzed according to sex and age. Additionally, infraorbital and mental foramen were classified into 5 positions based on the anatomic relationships to the nearest perpendicular dentition. Results: The review identified 137 patients meeting study criteria. Supraorbital foramina was more often in the shape of a foramen (62%) than that of a notch (38%). The supraorbital, infraorbital, and mental foramina were located 33.7 mm, 37.1 mm, and 33.7 mm away from the midline. The mean vertical distance between IOF and IOM was 13.4 mm. The mean distance between MF and IMM was 21.0 mm. The IOF and MF most commonly coincided with upper and lower second premolar dentition, respectively. Between the sex, the distance between MF and IMM was significantly higher for males than for female. In a correlation analysis, SOF-FM, IOF-FM and MF-FM values were significantly increased with age, but IOF-IOM values were significantly decreased with age. Conclusion: In the current study, we have reported anthropometric data concerning facial foramina in the Korean population, using a large-scale data analysis of three-dimensional computed tomography of facial skeletons. The correlations made respect to patient sex and age will provide help to operating surgeons when considering nerve blocks and periosteal dissections around the facial foramina.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.165-179
• /
• 1991

This study was performed to understand the irradiation effects on the mandibular condyle and mandibular growth in developing white rats. Forty eight white male rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain aged 4 weeks, were devided into two groups; control group and experimental group. A single target dose of l0Gy of radiation was given to the mandibular condylar area and the observations of the photo analysis, radiologic, histopathologic and immunohistochemical study revealed as follows; 1. Animals killed one week after irradiation showed lesser increase in body weights, no difference in photo analysis and decreased thickness of cartilagenous layers of the condyle than the control group. 2. Two weeks after irradiation the weight increases were almost same in both irradiated and control groups and in photo analysis, the distance from Mental Foramen to Incisal tip (Mf-It) was longer than the controls. Repair processes were taken place in irradiated group, but the cartilagenous layers were thinner than the controls. 3. By the third week after exposure further repair was seen in the trabeculae and the distance from Condylion to Mandibular plane (Cd-Cd') was longer than the controls and the weight increases were almost same as the controls. 4. At 4 weeks after irradiation the cells of proliferating zone repaired to almost normal findings, but the cartilagenous cell layers were still thinner than the control animals. In photo analysis, the distances from Menton to Anterior Notch (Me-An), from First Molar to Mandibular plane (Fm-Fm') were shorter and the weight increases were lesser than the controls. 5. In the S-100 antibody, the positive cells were increased in number, but decreased reactivities were seen at the proliferating zone of the irradiated groups. In the Monoclonal Anti-Proteoglycan antibody and Type Ⅰ collagen antibody, the irradiated groups showed little decreased number of positive cells and in the Type Ⅱ collagen antibody, the differences between irradiated and control groups were undetectable in immunohistochemical study.