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Case Report
A B S T R A C T
It is critical to determine the location and variation of mental foramen (MF) during the implant treatment. Multiple numbers of MF can be
seen in the mandible, and they are called as accessory MF (AMF). Detecting the anatomic variations including AMFs with radiological
examinations before surgical applications are important to prevent neurovascular complications. Cone-beam computed tomography
(CBCT) is a beneficial method to determine the anatomical structures such as MF and its anatomical variations. The aim of this case
report was to present the diagnosis of AMF localized at the left side of the mandible of a 44-year-old woman patient who was applied
for implant therapy. Treatment planning and postoperative evaluation were performed with CBCT.
The mental nerve is a terminal branch of the inferior alveolar A 44-year-old female patient with no systemic diseases
nerve. It emerges from mental foramen (MF), divides into applied for implant therapy. CBCT was used to diagnose
three branches beneath the anguli oris muscle and provides the height and thickness of the edentulous alveolar
for the innervation of the skin and mucous membrane of bone. CBCT images were acquired with ProMax 3D®
the lower lip and chin, and vestibular gum of the mandibular (Planmeca, Helsinki, Finland) with exposure settings of
incisors.[1,2] MF is generally localized under the second 90 kVp, 12 mA, and 13.8 s. A thickness of radiographic
premolar or between two premolars.[2] Multiple MFs can rarely slices was 1 mm. After the examination of CBCT images,
be seen in the mandible. In such situations, one of them is AMF was observed at the left side of the mandible,
considered as MF, and the others as accessory mental foramen superior to MF. AMF’s relation with canalis mandibularis
(AMF) which can be presented as a result of branching of was determined at cross-sectional and coronal section
MF.[3] Detecting the anatomic variations including AMFs images [Figures 1 and 2].
with radiological examinations before surgical applications
Anatomic variations should be considered during
are important to prevent neurovascular complications.[4,5]
the planning of dental implant placement to
Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a beneficial
method that provides three-dimensional (3D) imaging with
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the
low ionized radiation for imaging AMFs.[6] Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the
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DOI: Cite this article as: Aykol S, Orduyilmaz F, Gumusok M, Ozmeric N, Alkurt
10.4103/2321-3841.170626 MT. Imaging of accessory mental foramen before implant therapy. J Oral
Maxillofac Radiol 2015;3:105-7.
Address for correspondence: Prof. Nurdan Ozmeric, Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
E-mail: nurdan@gazi.edu.tr
© 2015 Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow 105
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Discussion
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