Anatomical Variation in the Location of Mandibular Foramen with Age Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography

Abstract

Objective: To use cone-beam computed tomography images to assess the mandibular foramen's location in
relation to age.

Study Design: Cross-sectional retrospective study examined the hospital records.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Radiology Department of Khyber College of Dentistry (KCD), in Peshawar, Pakistan 4th November 2021 to 3rd May 2022.

Methods: 1000 CBCT radiographs from patients treated over a two-year period were examined in the initial radio-anatomical investigation. The shortest distance between the mandibular foramen (MF) and Point A, Point P, Point MI, Point MN, and Point O were measured. Ratios were also computed to ascertain the MF's location in relation to these anatomical landmarks. For all data statistical analysis, a significance level of P≤0.05 was used.

Results: 134 mandibular foramens are associated with people between the ages of 15 and 70, with an average age ± (SD) of 39.81±14.71 years. The measured mean distances were 17.29, 12.54, 18.70, and 32.43 from the mandibular foramen to Point A, Point P, Point MI, Point MN, and Point O respectively. The MF was found about 3.65 mm above point O. The average measurement between point A and point P was 49.36 mm, whereas the average measurement between point MI and point MN was 50.60 mm. The computed ratios for AMF/AP and MIMF/MIMN were 0.58 and 0.37 mm. The investigation's findings demonstrated that the location of the mandibular foramen varied statistically significantly among age groups.

Conclusion: The mandibular foramen's location varied dramatically with age, according to the study's findings.