Radiographic evaluation of mental foramen on the panoramic radiography

Abstract

The appearance and the location of the mental foramen have been evaluated on the panoramic radiograph of(83) adult patients with complete dentition. The most frequent appearance was a separated type of mental foramen(50.61%) followed by continuous(24.09%), diffuse(19.28%) and unidentified type(6.02%). The most common location of mental foramen in relation to the lower bicuspid teeth was below the apex of second premolar(53.85%), and it lied lower than the midway between the upper and lower border of the body of the mandible, and some what it lied at one third of distance from the mandibular symphysis to the posterior border of the ramus of the mandible.