An Insight to the Anthropometric Study of Mental Foramen of Jaw Bone With Respect to Its Surgical Importance

Abstract

Background: Mental foramen is one of the two foraminas situated on the anterolateral aspect of the body of mandible below the interval between the premolar teeth. They are slightly lower in edentulous individuals, which gives path for mental nerves and vessels. Morphological and morphometric parameters of mental foramen in relation to surrounding landmarks is clinically important, for providing a suitable data for dental surgeons and anaesthetics for an effective mental nerve block anaesthesia and for avoiding post-surgical complications due to nerve damage. This also helps for age estimation in fossil study. The following parameters were assessed to determine the distance of mental foramen from them; a) Alveolar crest, b) Lower border of mandible, c) Symphysis menti, d) Posterior border of ramus, e) Angle to foramen. Shape of foramen and level of teeth where the foramen is situated were also assessed.