Mandibular Foramen Localization: A Key to Successful Inferior Alveolar Nerve Blocks

Background: The mandibular foramen (MF) is an opening on the internal surface of the ramus for divisions of the mandibular vessels and nerve to pass. The aim of this study is to determine the position of the MF from the different anatomical landmarks in several dry adult mandibles. Subjects and Methods: A total of 80 human dry mandibles were analyzed, including 71 dentulous and 09 edentulous. Measurements were taken from the anterior border of the ramus (coronoid notch) to the midpoint of the mandibular foramen (MF). In addition, distances were measured from the MF to various other anatomical landmarks, including the internal oblique ridge, inferior border, sigmoid notch, and condyle. All the measurements were carefully recorded. Results: The MF was positioned at a mean distance of 14.50 mm (with standard deviation 3.82 mm) from the coronoid notch of the anterior border of ramus. Conclusion: We conclude that failures in the anesthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve are due to the operator error and not due to the anatomical variation.