Mental foramen

Mental foramen

Mandible. Outer surface. Side view. (Mental foramen visible at left.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin foramen mentale
Dorlands
/Elsevier
f_12/12373306
TA A02.1.15.007
FMA 53171

Anatomical terms of bone

The mandibular incisive canal (indicated here by coral green arrows) continuing anteriorly (to the right) from the mandibular canal (purple arrows) after the mental foramen (light green circle).

The mental foramen is one of two foramina (openings) located on the anterior surface of the mandible. It transmits the terminal branches of the inferior alveolar nerve and vessels. The mental foramen descends slightly in toothless individuals.[1]

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.[2]

Additional images

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.
  2. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/akramjfr/mental_frmn.html&date=2009-10-25+12:10:19

External links

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