Assessment of the mental foramen location in a sample of Saudi Al Hasa, population using cone-beam computed tomography technology: A retrospective study.

Abstract

Background: It is essential that the dentist understand the positional variations of the mental foramen to perform different types of dental procedures. This study was conducted to identify the position of the mental foramen among the Saudi population of Al Hasa. Material and Methods: According to the selection criteria of 200 CBCT images, 101 images were selected. The selected images were categorized into five groups with respect to patient age. Each image was evaluated from both sides of the mandible and then recorded in six classes (position I-VI) according to the horizontal position and three classes in the vertical position. Results: In the Saudi Al Hasa population, Type 4 (at the level of 2nd premolar) was the most common location for mental foramen in the horizontal direction, on the right side (n= 41; 40.6%) and on the left side (n=44; 43.6%). Mental foramen was found in the vertical location, Type 3 (below the apex of 1st and 2nd premolars) was found in the right side (n= 54; 53.5%) and left side (n=56; 55.4%). The position of mental foramen is not constant and changes according to gender and ethnicity. This warrants dentists to evaluate patients individually. Conclusion: Even though the present study was done with a small sample of patients it provides a picture about approximate location of mental foramen among the target group of a population.

Mental Foramen Position, Shape, Continuity, and Symmetry Among Malocclusion Patients: A Radiographic Study

“…Aldosimani et al showed that the MF was located close to the mandibular second premolar in a statistically significant number (more than 68.1%) of participants from the central area of the Kingdom [ 17 ]. Furthermore, separate studies conducted by Mahabob et al and Srivastava revealed that the location of MF below the second premolars was observed in the eastern and northern regions [ 10 , 11 ], respectively. These studies utilized CBCT images to disclose the MF, while in this study, OPG images were used to identify the position of the MF among the orthodontic patients.…”

“…After conducting a comprehensive review of the literature, it was found that only a few studies have shown the prevalence of MF in a population from Saudi Arabia. These investigations were conducted in various parts of the nation, including the central, northern, and eastern regions, and used CBCT as the imaging technique [ 8 , 10 , 11 ]. The aforementioned research examined many anatomical characteristics of MF, including the placement of MF, the trajectory of the MN, and proximity to neighboring cortical plates.…”