Evaluation of the Appearance, Location and Morphology of Lingual Foramens in Dentates and Edentulous Mandibles Using CBCT

Abstract

Objective: The lingual foramen (LF) in the anterior mandibular region is important for surgical planning. Our aim was to assess the anatomical variations of the mandibular LF and canals using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: CBCT images of 148 patients were evaluated. The LF presence, number, position, diameter and trajectory was established. The relationship between the findings and gender, dental status was evaluated using Mann-Whitney U, independent samples t-test, and Spearman correlation. Results: Of 102 patients, 5.9% had the inferior foramen, 60.8% had the superior foramen, and 33.3% had two foramina. The average diameter of the inferior LF was 1.08 mm and superior LF was 1.21 mm. There is a statistical difference between genders according to the diameter of the inferior LF (p=0.031). Conclusion: Due to the prevalence of foramines of different sizes and locations, we recommend assessing with CBCT before surgical procedures.