PURPOSEThe purpose of this study was to identify the complex course of the mandibular canal using 3D reconstruction of microCT images and to provide the diagram for clinicians to help them understand at the interforaminal region in Korean.MATERIALS AND METHODSTwenty-six hemimandibles obtained from cadavers were examined using microCT, and the images were reconstructed. At both the midpoint of mental foramen and the tip of anterior loop, the bucco-lingual position, the height from the mandibular inferior border, the horizontal distance between two points, and position relative to tooth site on the mandibular canal were measured. The angle that the mental canal diverges from the mandibular canal was measured in posteriorsuperior and lateral-superior direction.RESULTSThe buccal distance from the mandibular canal was significantly much shorter than lingual distance at both the mental foramen and the tip of anterior loop. The mandibular canal at the tip of anterior loop was significantly located closer to buccal side and higher than at the mental foramen. And the mental canal most commonly diverged from the mandibular canal below the first premolar by approximately 50° posterior-superior and 41° lateral-superior direction, which had with a mean length of 5.19 mm in front of the mental foramen, and exited to the mental foramen below the second premolar.CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that it could form a hazardous tetrahedron space at the interforaminal region, thus, the clinician need to pay attention to the width of a premolar tooth from the mental foramen during dental implant placement.

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Purpose: Panoramic radiography is primary and easily used in the dental treatment for preoperative evaluation of the various anatomical structures. The aim of this study was to assess the visibility and anatomical morphology of the mandibular incisive canal using panoramic radiography. Materials and Methods: Panoramic radiographs were obtained from 60 patients (30 males, 30 females; mean age 49.5 years) using a standard exposure and patient positioning protocols. The visibility of the mandibular incisive canal, the origin and end points according to the tooth level, and horizontal distance between two points were measured. The diameter of the incisive canal at the origin point and the vertical distance between each origin and end points and the inferior border of the mandible were investigated. The significant difference between gender, age, and mandible side were analyzed on all measurements parameters. Results: The mandibular incisive canal was visible in 56 cases (46.7%) radiographs. The mean origin and end points according to tooth level were located between the second premolar and the first premolar and the canine, respectively, and the horizontal distance was 9.61±3.74 mm. The mean diameter at the origin point was 2.96±0.55 mm and the mean vertical distance at the origin and end points were 11.48±1.59 and 10.96±2.08 mm, respectively. The mandibular incisive canal showed statistically significant differences in all measurements parameters on gender. Conclusion:The mandibular incisive canal in panoramic radiography presented the low detection rate. However, these results can provide primary morphological features of the mandibular incisive canal on panoramic radiographs which is widely used in dental practices.