A Morphometric Study on the Mandibular Foramen and the Lingula in Korean

Lee, Sang Wan; Jeong, Hwahae; Seo, Youn Kyoung; Jeon, Su Kyung; Kim, Shin Young; Jang, Manho; Paik, Doo Jin

Abstract

Interest in the correction of jaw deformities has increased due to the development of techniques and instruments of jaw operation. The accurate position of the mandibular foramen and lingula is important for the prevention of the complications and successful inferior alveolar nerve block. This study was conducted on 104 dried mandibles (65 males, 39 females) from Korean cadaver. The positions of the mandibular foramen and lingula were measured on the coronoid notch, occlusal plane, mandibular notch, gonion, koronoid and kondylion. The structures of the mandibular foramen and lingula were determined and the thickness of ramus and the angle of mandible were measured. Independent t-tests and paired t-tests were performed to determine the statistically significant difference. The results as follows; The line between coronoid notch and posterior border of ramus was located on the same level with the tip of lingula in 42.2% of the cases, and in between the mandibular foramen and the tip of lingula in 33.8% of the cases. The occlusal plane was located on the level between the mandibular foramen and the tip of lingula in 47.7% of cases, and on the same level with the tip of lingula in 35.6% of the cases. The line between lower end of the mandibular notch to inferior border of the mandible, in parallel to the posterior border of the mandibles, met the tip of lingula in 55.8% of the cases. The mandibular foramen was located posteriorly to the midpoint on the anteroposterior (AP) width of the ramus. It was located at 57.3% of AP width from the coronoid notch and 56.5% from the occlusal plane. The mandibular foramen and the tip of lingula were located superiorly to the midpoint on the vertical height of the ramus, on the 48.5% and 35.7% of vertical distance from the coronoid notch, respectively. The mandibular foramen was located at 40% of the length on the line from the gonion to the koronion. The results of this study will provide important morphometric information to prevent the complications in mandibular surgery and also provide the basis for the development of the new techniques.