Study of Presence and Position of Lingual Foramina in Dry Adult Human Mandible

Lingual foramina are present on the inner surface of the anterior portion of body of mandible. These foramina provide passages of neurovascular structures to the mandible. The aim of the study was to identify these foramina if present, as well as their different positions in the anterior mandibular regions. This cross-sectional descriptive study was done on 150 fully ossified dry human mandibles in the department of Anatomy, Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh from July 2019 to June 2020. A non-random purposive sampling technique was adopted. Study was carried out by observations only. Lingual foramina were classified into midline position behind the symphysis menti and lateral position to symphysis. Again, in midline, they were grouped into three groups in relation with the position of genial tubercle (mental spine) as supraspinous, interspinous and infraspinous positions. Lingual foramina were present in all samples. In 96.0% samples, foramina were located in midline and rest 4.0% having lateral foramina. In midline position, they were grouped in relation with the mental spine. Among 144 samples, 79.86% foramens were found above the spine (supraspinous), 4.86% foramens found in between the spine (interspinous) and 15.27% foramens found below the spine (infraspinous). Study of these mandibular foramina helps to lower the per and post operative complications such as hemorrhage and hematoma formation in operations like implant placement, autogenous bone graft etc.