Double mandibular foramina and canal: report of a case with interactive CT-based planning software

ABSTRACT

The identification of the mandibular canal and its anatomic variations is of great importance in many branches of dentistry, especially in implant dentistry and prior to endosteal implant insertion. This knowledge is even more demanding when the mandible has been compromised by different degrees of atrophy and bone resorption. In this study we describe a rare case of double mandibular canal identified by three-dimensional imaging techniques during the process of diagnosis. It is concluded that mandibular canals may often be undetected during the diagnosing phase of implant treatment, and tomographic imaging is the only way to identify some of these distinctive features