Micro- and macroanatomical characterisation of canals at the mandibular midline

Abstract

In the present study, the foramina and bony canals located at the lingual side of the mandibular midline were morphometrically characterised using macro-and micro-anatomical dissection of 50 dry and 12 intact human cadaver mandibles. Another 10 mandibular specimens were imaged using a 9.4 Tesla MRI unit to evaluate the true canal content. Results showed that out of 50 dry mandibles, only 1 was lacking a true midline foramen. 36 specimens had a single foramen and canal. The average canal length was 6.5 mm. (SD 2.4 mm), with 72% of the canals running downwards to the buccal side with an average slope of -37.5 degrees (SD 20.1). Microanatomical observations and high resolution MRI indicated a clear neurovascular bundle in both superior and inferior genial spinal foraminae. For the superior canal, the content derived from lingual artery and nerve. The inferior canal content had a sublingual arterial branch, with mylohyoid nerve innervation.