The mylohyoid bridge: a meta-analysis of its prevalence and clinical significance

The mylohyoid bridge (MHB) is an ossified roof over part or all of the mylohyoid groove that may alter the osseous corridor of the mylohyoid neurovascular bundle. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated its prevalence, morphological patterns, and craniomaxillofacial relevance. We searched MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science through May 2026, supplemented by reference-list and targeted journal searches. Seventeen studies were included. In accordance with evidence-based anatomy recommendations, we analyzed mandible-level and side-level prevalence as separate reporting-unit subgroups using random-effects models with inverse-variance weighting, Freeman-Tukey double-arcsine transformation, and DerSimonian-Laird estimation. Pooled prevalence was 14.11% per mandible (95% CI 8.75-20.45%; I²=90%) and 10.20% per side (95% CI 7.07-13.80%; I²=93.1%). No significant subgroup differences were detected between left and right sides or between sexes; the exploratory descriptive evaluations indicated a higher pooled prevalence for unilateral than bilateral presentation (8.55% vs. 3.77%). The evidence base was entirely osteological, and marked heterogeneity limits extrapolation of a single universal prevalence. The MHB is not rare and has proposed anesthetic and surgical relevance, although direct outcome-based clinical evidence remains limited.