Mandibular canal branches supplying the mandibular third molar observed on cone beam computed tomographic images: Reports of four cases / 대한구강악안면방사선학회지

ABSTRACT

Bifid mandibular canal can be an anatomic variation. This condition can lead to complication when performing mandibular anesthesia or during extraction of lower third molar, placement of implants and surgery in the mandible. Four patients underwent preoperative imaging for extraction of third molars using CBCT (CB Mercuray, Hitachi, Japan). The axial images were processed with CBworks program 2.1 (CyberMed Inc., Seoul, Korea). The branches for supplying the lower third molar were identified mainly on cross-sectional and panoramic images of CBCT. Since the location and configuration of mandibular canal variations are important in any mandibular surgical procedures, we report 4 cases of bifid mandibular canal with panoramic and the CBCT images.