Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
Author Spotlight: Three-Dimensional Cephalometric Landmark Annotation Demonstration on Human Cone Beam Computed Tomography Scans
Published on: September 8, 2023
Morphometric Analysis of the Mental Foramen Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography
Rudyard Dos Santos Oliveira1, Maria Rodrigues Coutinho1, Francine Kühl Panzarella1
1Department of Imaging and Oral Radiology, São Leopoldo Mandic College, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
The mental foramen (MF) is typically located apically between lower premolars. Men generally have larger mental foramina and greater distances from the MF to anatomical landmarks compared to women.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Radiology
- Oral Surgery
Background:
- The mental foramen (MF) is a critical anatomical landmark in the mandible.
- Understanding its location and size is crucial for dental procedures, particularly implantology and nerve blocks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the influence of age and sex on the position and dimensions of the mental foramen (MF).
- To analyze specific distances related to the MF for anatomical reference.
Main Methods:
- Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of 104 patients (aged 18-80) were analyzed.
- Evaluated MF position, size, and distances to the first lower premolar apex (A), alveolar crest (B), and mandibular base (C).
Main Results:
- The MF was predominantly located apically, between the long axes of the premolars, averaging 4.92 mm from the first lower premolar root.
- Significant sex-based differences were found in MF height (3.41 mm in males vs. 2.99 mm in females) and distance from the alveolar crest (13.13 mm in males vs. 11.98 mm in females).
Conclusions:
- The mental foramen is typically positioned apically between the premolar teeth.
- Mean MF size and distances to anatomical landmarks are greater in males than in females, with age not being explicitly detailed as a factor in this summary.
More Related Videos
05:37Cone Beam Intraoperative Computed Tomography-based Image Guidance for Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Interbody Fusion
Published on: August 6, 2019
09:49Dual-phase Cone-beam Computed Tomography to See, Reach, and Treat Hepatocellular Carcinoma during Drug-eluting Beads Transarterial Chemo-embolization
Published on: December 2, 2013
Related Concept Videos
01:10Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...
01:27Imaging Studies III: Computed Tomography
01:30Beams
Based on geometry, beams can be straight, tapered, or curved. Straight beams are the most common type and have a constant cross-section throughout their length. Tapered beams, on the other hand, have a varying cross-section along...
01:30Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
01:19Deflection of a Beam
Singularity functions, described in an earlier lesson, are powerful mathematical tools that represent discontinuities within a function commonly encountered in structural loading...