Morphological and morphometric analysis of the inferior alveolar canal and mental foramen in black South Africans: A panoramic radiographic study

Q3 Medicine

Translational Research in Anatomy Pub Date : 2025-04-04 DOI:10.1016/j.tria.2025.100399

Ikeoluwa A. Oluwafemi , Nicolene Jooste , Pamela Pillay , Sundika Ishwarkumar-Govender

{"title":"Morphological and morphometric analysis of the inferior alveolar canal and mental foramen in black South Africans: A panoramic radiographic study","authors":"Ikeoluwa A. Oluwafemi , Nicolene Jooste , Pamela Pillay , Sundika Ishwarkumar-Govender","doi":"10.1016/j.tria.2025.100399","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and objectives</h3><div>Variations in the route followed by the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) and the position of the mental foramen (MF) could impact the placement of the neurovascular bundle, a vital consideration during mandibular surgeries. This study was conducted to investigate the morphology and the morphometry of the IAC and the position of the MF as seen on panoramic radiographs in a South African population.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 digital panoramic radiographs. The morphology, i.e., the anteroposterior course, the vertical and horizontal position, and the morphometric parameters of the IAC were obtained and analyzed. The mental foramen position was categorized and analyzed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Elliptic arc canals were the most frequently observed (55.00 %) anteroposterior course (APC) of the IAC. The intermediate position was the most common vertical position (48.30 %) of the IAC. The commonest horizontal relation of the IAC was type 1 (45.50 %), with a statistically significant difference between the right and left sides of the mandible. Many of the MF (50.00 %) were located at Position 4, with a statistically significant difference between the ages of 15–19 and 40–50. The mean measurement of the IAC decreased from the first molar to the third molar, with statistically significant differences between sexes and across age groups. The average diameter of the IAC was about 3–4 mm and was relatively constant.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>As seen in other populations, most Black South Africans had a favorable APC of the IAC for rehabilitative purposes. Considering the vertical position, most of the canals (51.7 %) were in the high-risk zone (high and low canals), and females had a higher frequency of high canals. Clinicians should expect to find the MF symmetrically in line with the root tip of the second premolars: however, the position of the MF moves posteriorly with advancing age.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37913,"journal":{"name":"Translational Research in Anatomy","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 100399"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Translational Research in Anatomy","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214854X25000184","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"Medicine","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background and objectives

Variations in the route followed by the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) and the position of the mental foramen (MF) could impact the placement of the neurovascular bundle, a vital consideration during mandibular surgeries. This study was conducted to investigate the morphology and the morphometry of the IAC and the position of the MF as seen on panoramic radiographs in a South African population.

Methods

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 digital panoramic radiographs. The morphology, i.e., the anteroposterior course, the vertical and horizontal position, and the morphometric parameters of the IAC were obtained and analyzed. The mental foramen position was categorized and analyzed.

Results

Elliptic arc canals were the most frequently observed (55.00 %) anteroposterior course (APC) of the IAC. The intermediate position was the most common vertical position (48.30 %) of the IAC. The commonest horizontal relation of the IAC was type 1 (45.50 %), with a statistically significant difference between the right and left sides of the mandible. Many of the MF (50.00 %) were located at Position 4, with a statistically significant difference between the ages of 15–19 and 40–50. The mean measurement of the IAC decreased from the first molar to the third molar, with statistically significant differences between sexes and across age groups. The average diameter of the IAC was about 3–4 mm and was relatively constant.

Conclusion

As seen in other populations, most Black South Africans had a favorable APC of the IAC for rehabilitative purposes. Considering the vertical position, most of the canals (51.7 %) were in the high-risk zone (high and low canals), and females had a higher frequency of high canals. Clinicians should expect to find the MF symmetrically in line with the root tip of the second premolars: however, the position of the MF moves posteriorly with advancing age.

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Translational Research in Anatomy Medicine-Anatomy

CiteScore

2.90

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

25 days

期刊介绍： Translational Research in Anatomy is an international peer-reviewed and open access journal that publishes high-quality original papers. Focusing on translational research, the journal aims to disseminate the knowledge that is gained in the basic science of anatomy and to apply it to the diagnosis and treatment of human pathology in order to improve individual patient well-being. Topics published in Translational Research in Anatomy include anatomy in all of its aspects, especially those that have application to other scientific disciplines including the health sciences: • gross anatomy • neuroanatomy • histology • immunohistochemistry • comparative anatomy • embryology • molecular biology • microscopic anatomy • forensics • imaging/radiology • medical education Priority will be given to studies that clearly articulate their relevance to the broader aspects of anatomy and how they can impact patient care.Strengthening the ties between morphological research and medicine will foster collaboration between anatomists and physicians. Therefore, Translational Research in Anatomy will serve as a platform for communication and understanding between the disciplines of anatomy and medicine and will aid in the dissemination of anatomical research. The journal accepts the following article types: 1. Review articles 2. Original research papers 3. New state-of-the-art methods of research in the field of anatomy including imaging, dissection methods, medical devices and quantitation 4. Education papers (teaching technologies/methods in medical education in anatomy) 5. Commentaries 6. Letters to the Editor 7. Selected conference papers 8. Case Reports