ABSTRACT

Introduction: The division of mental nerve to smaller branches can be the cause of accessory mental foramen (AMF) formation. Patients may encounter post-operative complications if this anatomical variation is neglected during invasive treatment procedures. The present research aimed to determine the prevalence of AMF in a selected Iranian population using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT).

Materials and methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, CBCT images of 159 patients were evaluated to assessment of presence or absence of AMF and its size and location in relation to main mental foramen (MF). The SPSS v. 24 software and logistic regression model were used for data analysis.

Results: AMF was present in 3.77% cases, 83.33 % of which were reported to be unilateral. In 28.57% of patients, the AMF was located mesial to the main foramen, while in 57.14% percent it was located distal to the main foramen and only in one case (14.28%), the main and AMF were located aligned. The mean diameter of AMF were 1.57 mm.

Conclusion: The results showed that, AMF is not uncommon, hence to prevent the inadvertent injuries during surgeries in premolar teeth region, pre-treatment assessment using CBT images is recommended.

Keywords: AMF, Anatomic landmarks, Cone Beam Computed Tomography, Mental foramen