Three cases of mandibular molars with roots surrounding the inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle

Abstract

The mandibular canal rarely penetrates the apically fused tooth roots. In this report, we describe three cases of patients in whom the mandibular canal ran between the roots of embedded mandibular teeth with apical fusion. Case 1: A 43-year-old man presented with a completely embedded left mandibular first molar and a swollen gingiva. Cone beam computed tomography revealed apical root fusion and a mandibular canal penetrating the root. Case 2: Cone-beam computed tomography of a 39-year-old female revealed root apical fusion and a mandibular canal between the roots. Case 3: Cone-beam computed tomography of a 30-year-old female with a fully erupted left mandibular third molar revealed a ring of diverging roots fused to the root apex. The mandibular canal runs between the mandibular roots. All three patients were treated under general anesthesia and developed postoperative inferior alveolar nerve palsy; however, their sensory function recovered over time. The prognosis was good in all patients, none of whom experienced any other complications.