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Evaluation of Bifid Mandibular Canals with Cone-Beam Computed Tomography in Saudi Population: A Retrospective Study
Noura Alsufyani1,2, Rabab Bukhamseen3, Nouf Alshehri3
1Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Purpose:
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of bifid mandibular canal (BMC) in the Saudi Arabian population by using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).
Methods:
A retrospective study of patients who visited the maxillofacial surgery clinic and had CBCT scans taken for the full mandible was reviewed. A total of 258 images were scanned and 184 of those images were selected for analysis. Three examiners were trained and calibrated on detecting and classifying BMC by an oral and maxillofacial radiologist (OMFR) using CBCT images not included in this study. The examiners then reviewed the CBCT images for BMC. A classification Fisher's exact test was used to observe the association between BMC and the demographic characteristics of study subjects.
Results:
Only, three male subjects (1.6%) presented with BMC, all were type I. Two (66.7%) were unilateral BMC, and one (33.3%) was bilateral. There is no statistically significant association between the frequency of BMC and age groups or gender.
Conclusion:
The prevalence of BMC in the Saudi population is considered low. Potential errors in identifying BMC are related to grooving of the lingual nerve. Adequate imaging modalities and knowledge in anatomy are important to detect BMC to avoid complications in dental treatment.
