Location of the Mandibular Foramen in Dry Mandibles: A Study in Southern Odisha

Aim and objectives: Mandibular foramen is leading to mandibular canal through which inferior alveolar nerve and vessels transmit and supply the teeth of lower jaw. Inferior alveolar nerve block is a common local anaesthetic technique, prior to dental surgeries of lower jaw. Hence a precise anatomical knowledge is highly essential to locate the mandibular foramen for this nerve block. Materials and method: 65 adult edentulous dry human mandibles of Southern Odisha of unknown age and sex were taken for descriptive study. Distance of mandibular foramen from mandibular notch, anterior border, posterior border and angle of mandible were measured by slide calliper, data were tabulated and analysed statistically. Results: The mean distance of mandublar foramen to anterior border was 17.21mm in right side and 17.0 mm in left side, to posterior border 16.1mm in right side and 16.0mm in left side, to the floor of the mandibular notch 20.8mm in right side and 21.3 mm in left side. and to gonium 21.31mm in right side and 20.34mm in left side were obtained. Conclusion: Localisation of mandibular foramen is an important pre-requisite prior to inferior alveolar nerve block during any mandibular surgery. Keyword: Anterior border, mandibular angle, mandibular foramen, ramus of mandible, slide calliper