Asymmetrical bilateral double mandibular canals: anatomicoradiological study and clinical implications

The present article presents a detailed morphological and radiological description of bilateral accessory mandibular foramina with associated asymmetrical mandibular canals. Such an anatomico-radiological study is of immense importance to the present day surgeon during nerve block techniques, oncologists in planning radiation therapy, dental surgeon during implant surgery and reconstructive mandibular surgery. The accessory mandibular foramina described in the present study were detected during routine educational study in an adult human mandible. On the right side, the accessory mandibular foramen was located above the mandibular foramen whereas, on the left side the mandibular foramen itself was divided into two foramens by anomalous bony septa. Radiological study revealed that both accessory foramina led into asymmetrical mandibular canals. Such a study highlights clinical importance of accessory mandibular foramens and paves the way for greater accuracy in determination of osteological details of such variants.