Incidence of the retromolar foramen in dry mandibles and its significance for dental surgical procedures

The retromolar foramen and retromolar canal as well are anatomical variations of the mandible that occur in the region of the retromolar trigone. This foramen and canal contain neurovascular structures that provide additional innervation to the lower molars and buccal area. This study aimed to determine the incidence and occurrence between the sexes of the retromolar foramen in mandibles of the Contemporary Bone Collection of the Federal University of Pernambuco. Sixty-one dry mandibles were analyzed, 37 from males and 24 from females. Of the 61 mandibles, 18 had retromolar foramina (29.5%), and 12 had a unilateral foramen (19.67%). Male mandibles had a higher incidence compared to female bones, with 12 (32.43%) mandibles with retromandibular foramina. The population analyzed showed a high incidence of the retromolar foramen, especially on the right side. The identification of this anatomical variation helps in the planning of oral surgeries and during anesthetic procedures.