Mental foramen in Thais: an anatomical variation related to gender and side

Sixty-nine adult mandibles (45 male, 24 female) of Thai dry skulls were assessed to determine the size, the orientation and the location of the mental foramen (MF) related to gender and side. The results showed that the usual direction of exit of the MF was in a posterosuperior direction. The most common location of the MF was bilaterally symmetrical and located on the same vertical line with the long axis of the lower second premolar. The mean distances from the MF to the symphysis menti (A), to the posterior border of the mandibular ramus (P), to the lower border of the mandible (mb) and to the buccal cusp tip of the second premolar (cm) were 28.83, 68.85, 14.88 and 24.27 mm, respectively. The mean distances from the alveolar bone crest across the MF to the lower border of the mandible (ab) was 29.97 mm. The mean distance from the buccal cusp tip of the second premolar through the long axis of the clinical crown to the lower border of the mandible (cb) was 39.18 mm. No measurements varied according to the sides (P > 0.05). In contrast, gender differences were significant in all measurements with the longer distances in males (P < 0.05). The mean ratios of A/(A + P), mb/ab and cm/cb in all subjects were 0.30, 0.50 and 0.62, respectively. The values of the three ratios were nearly equal in males and females. Our results may assist surgeons to localize important maxillofacial neurovascular bundles passing through the MF in avoiding complication from local anesthetic, surgical and other invasive procedures.