The Periangular Approach to the Posterior Mandible: A Novel Approach and Technique

There exist 2 classic extraoral approaches to the posterior aspect of the mandible, namely the submandibular or Risdon approach, and the retromandibular approach. Despite their widespread use, there still exist concerns of damage to surrounding structures, in particular cranial nerve VII, as well as vascular structures and salivary glands. Evidence of facial nerve palsy has been shown to be as high as 48% in the patient with the Risdon approach, and as high as 30% in the retromandibular approach. The authors wish to propose a more conservative, technically easier, and less time-consuming approach to the posterior mandible, with less risk of damage to the branches of the facial nerve, as well as other structures such as the facial vessels and the parotid gland.