ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Anterior loop of the mental nerve is a very important anatomic landmark in implant placement and anterior mandibular osteotomies. PURPOSE: Two-dimensional imaging techniques are not competent enough to locate and measure the mental nerve loop in majority of the cases. Any injury to this loop results in pain/paresthesia/numbness in the region supplied by the mental nerve. The aim of this study is to analyze the prevalence and measure the length of the loop using cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) and calculate the average length and prevalence so that a safe margin can be given while placing the implants or the osteotomy cuts in the premolar region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done using CBCT images of 85 patients taken for impaction surgery. The length of the loop was measured in mm using standardized lines drawn along specific anatomic landmarks. RESULTS: In our study 11.76% of patients had anterior loop in their mental nerve. Mean length of the mental nerve loop was calculated and found to be 2.79 mm. CONCLUSION: A margin of 4 mm anterior to the mental foramen should be safe to avoid any damage to the mental nerve loop bundle in majority of the cases where the loop is present.
Subject(s)
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography/methods , Mandible/anatomy & histology , Mandible/diagnostic imaging , Mandible/innervation , Mandibular Nerve/anatomy & histology , Mandibular Nerve/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Anatomic Landmarks , Cranial Nerve Injuries/prevention & control , Cross-Sectional Studies , Dental Implantation, Endosseous/adverse effects , Female , Humans , Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods , Male , Mandible/surgery , Osteotomy/adverse effects , Osteotomy/methods , Prevalence , Tooth/innervation , Young AdultABSTRACT
This case report presents the removal of complex composite odontoma in a young patient in the right body of mandible via the unilateral sagittal splitting of the mandible. This article shows that sagittal split osteotomy of the mandible can be very useful to access various pathologies in the body, angle, and ramus of the mandible and to navigate lesions that are in proximity to the inferior alveolar nerve. This technique also helps in avoiding postoperative morbidity when compared to other conventional surgical approaches. It can be used to remove large cysts, benign non-infiltrative tumours of the mandible, odontogenic myxoma, large odontoma, and deeply impacted lower third molars.
