ABSTRACT
Objective:To study the morphological characteristics of the mental canal and its relation to the mandibular canal and incisor nerve canal.Methods:The anterior parts of the mandibular canal, the mental canal and the origin of the incisor nerve canal were dissected and measured directly on 13 cases of Chinese wet mandible specimens fixed with formalin. The mandibular canal, the mental canal and the incisor nerve canal of another 21 sides of decalcified mandibles were dissected and measured. Results:The anterior terminal part of the mandibular canal divided into mental canal and incisor nerve canal. Most of the mental canal bended backward, upward and outward then opened to the mental foramen. Mental canal's length was (5.61?1.07) mm averagely and its diameter (2.53? 0.47) mm. The horizontal distance from the anterior border of mental foramen to the anterior end of mandibular canal was (2.82?1.29) mm. The vertical distance from the inferior border of mental foramen to the superior border of mandibular canal was (3.83?1.43) mm. The angle between mental canal and mandibular canal was (63.57?13.71)?. Mental canal contained mental nerve and mental blood vessels. Conclusions:The anterior end of mandibular canal extends and becomes mental canal then opens to the mental foramen.