Localization of the mandibular foramen of 8-18 years old children and youths with cone-beam computed tomography

The aim of this study was to determine the location of mandibular foramen (MF) of 8-18 years old Turkish individuals by analyzing cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. CBCT images of 63 females and 64 males with an age range of 8-18 years were examined. The distance of the MF to the anterior border of the ramus (A), posterior border of the ramus (P), inferior point of the mandibular incisura (MI), superior point of the curvature of the mandibular notch (MN), and the straight line of the cusps of the mandibular permanent molars (O) were measured and recorded. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Bonferroni test, independent t-test, and Student′s t-test at a significance level of P < 0.05. The MN-MF, MI-MF, A-MF, and MN-MF values of females aged 9, 13, 14, and 18 were statistically higher than those of males aged 9, 13, 14, and 18 (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the O-MF values or A-MF values among the age groups (P > 0.05); however, the P-MF, MI-MF, and MN-MF values increased with age (P < 0.05). This study concluded that the location of the MF is just posterior to the middle of the ramus, 2.5-3.6 mm above the occlusal plane of the molars. The P-MF, MI-MF, and MN-MF values increase with age.