Exploring mandibular canal variations using CBCT: A study on clinical relevance and risk assessment

Anatomical variations of the mandibular canal, including bifid canals and anterior loops, can increase the risk of complications during oral surgical procedures. Traditional radiographic methods often fail to detect these variants accurately, whereas cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) provides superior visualization. Therefore, it is of interest to describe the prevalence of these variations using CBCT. Hence, a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 200 CBCT scans (patients aged 18-70 years) was conducted to assess bifid, trifid, retromolar canals, anterior loops and accessory branches in axial, sagittal and coronal planes. Data shows that anatomical variations were present in 29% of cases, with bifid canals most common (18%) followed by anterior loops (11%), indicating that CBCT allows reliable identification of clinically significant mandibular canal variations.