Intraosseous Vascularization of Anterior Mandible: A Radiographic Analysis

The anterior mandible was initially considered a safe zone from a surgical point of view. Over time, serious complications resulting from dental implantology procedures have been reported. This has led to a greater focus on vascularization of the interforaminal region. The purpose of this article was to evaluate the anterior mandibular region in relation to the presence of canals perforating the buccal and lingual cortical plates. DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) files of 100 cone beam computed tomography scans were analyzed by imaging software. All radiographic cross-sections between the mental foramina were examined to detect the presence and location of perforating buccal or lingual canals. Lingual perforating canals are present in 98% of the cohort. The most common site is the symphysis region. The presence of 2 lingual canals cranially and caudally to the genial apophysis has been found in 39%. Vestibular perforating canals are absent in 61%. The anterior mandible has several lingual perforating canals, which are variable in number and location. Imaging software is a valuable aid in presurgical planning. Because of the higher prevalence of perforating canals in the symphysis region, this site should be preserved.