Evaluation of the accessory mental foramen in a pediatric population using cone-beam computed tomography

The aim of the present study was to clarify the occurrence, diameter, and location of the accessory mental foramen (AMF) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images from a sample of Turkish children.

This retrospective was carried out using a total of 275 CBCT images from child and adolescent patients were randomly selected from existing records in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology at the University of Erciyes, Kayseri, Turkey. The mental foramen (MF) and AMF were assessed on axial, sagittal, and coronal CBCT slices.

The mean age was 10.51 ± 3.32 years, consisting of 139 males (mean age 10.64 ± 3.42) and 126 females (mean age 10.38 ± 3.18). Twenty-one AMFs were observed in 18 of 275 patients (6.5%, 10 boys and eight girls). There was no significant difference in gender in relation to the prevalence of AMF (p = 0.65). The mean area of the 21 AMFs and the MF on the side with the AMF were 0.7 mm² (SD ± 0.5) and 3.8 mm² (SD ± 2.2), respectively.

It is important to stress that detecting the AMN using CBCT with 3D reconstructions may reduce the risk of paralysis, hemorrhage, and postoperative pain in this region. Our study presents the first report assessing the occurrence, diameter, and location of the AMF in the pediatric population using CBCT images. In this respect, not surprisingly, the mean size of the AMF of our population is smaller than other reports in the literature that involve adult populations.