Mental foramen

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Bone: Mental foramen
Mandible. Outer surface. Side view. (Mental foramen visible at left.)
Latin foramen mentale
Gray's subject #44 172
Dorlands
/ Elsevier
    
f_12/12373306

The mental foramen is one of two holes ("foramina") located on the anterior surface of the mandible. It permits passage of the mental nerve and vessels. The mental foramen descends slightly in edentulous individuals[1].


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[edit] Variations

The most frequent position (63%) of the mental foramen is in line with the longitudinal axis of the 2nd premolar tooth. Multiple mental foramina are observed in 17% of the sides. Only (4%) of the mandibles show bilateral multiple mental foramina. The majority of the multiple foramina are unequal in size: a single large foramen while the others are small (satellite) foramina. An incisive mental foramen is observed in 1% of the sides[1].

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[edit] References

  1. ^ Soikkonen K, Wolf J, Ainamo A, Xie Q. (November 1995). "Changes in the position of the mental foramen as a result of alveolar atrophy". J Oral Rehabil. 22 (11): 831–3. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2842.1995.tb00230.x. PMID 8558356. 

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