ASSESSMENT OF MENTAL FORAMEN AND ANTERIOR LOOP OF THE MENTAL NERVE USING CONE BEAM COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY: ITS CLINICAL CORELATION IN SURGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN MANDIBLE IN INTER-FORAMINAL REGION

Abstract

Background- The anatomy of the mental foramen and its anterior loop is critical for surgeons performing surgical procedures in the interforaminal region of the mandible. Material and Methods- 60 CBCT images of patients planned for anterior mandibular surgery were studied. Mental foramens were analyzed for position, dimensions, and distances from the midline, alveolar crest, and mandibular border, including mesial extension length. Postoperative neurosensory deficits were assessed on days 1, 7, and at 1 and 3 months using two-point discrimination, contact detection, sharp/blunt discrimination, and thermal tests. Result- The most common position of mental foramen was found to be in between 1st and 2nd premolar (57%). The mean distance from midline of mandible, alveolar crest and inferior border of mandible to mental foramen was 22.49 mm, 11.56 mm and 12.8 mm respectively. The mean length of anterior loop was 3.02 mm. Statistically significant difference was found genders in case of height of mental foramen and its distance from inferior border of mandible. None of the patients showed post-operative neurosensory deficit. Conclusion- This study concludes preoperative examination of mental foramen in CBCT images can prevent mental nerve injury while performing surgical procedure in anterior mandible.