A Study of Anatomical Variations of Mental Foramen in Dry Adult Human Mandibles and Its Clinical Importance

Abstract

Background: Mental foramen is a small foramen situated in anterolateral aspect of the body of the mandible. 
Normally, mental foramen is located below the interval between the premolars. It transmits mental nerve, artery and 
vein. Mental nerve is a branch of inferior alveolar nerve which supplies sensation to lower lip and the labial mucosa 
and lower canines and premolars. The most useful injection for anaesthetising the mandibular teeth is the inferior 
alveolar nerve block. Any foramen in addition to mental foramen in the body of the mandible is known as accessory 
mental foramen. Accessory mental foramen transmits the accessory branch of mental nerve.