Location, shape and anatomic relations of the mandibular foramen and the mandibular lingula: a contribution to surgical procedures in the ramus of the mandible

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to obtain morphological parameters of the mandibular foramen (MF) and the mandibular lingula (ML) as well as to use biometric data to locate these structures in the medial aspect of the mandibular ramus and to measure the angle that the inferior alveolar sulcus makes with the posterior margin of the ramus. Methods: The sample was composed of 30 dry human mandibles. The quantitative variables were the distances between the MF and the ML, as well as the distances between these structures and the margins of the mandibular ramus. The angle between the inferior alveolar sulcus and the posterior margin was also measured. The qualitative variables were the shape of the MF and the ML. All variables were analyzed using statistical softwares and the admitted level of statistical significance was 5 %. Results: The statistical analysis indicated a bilateral central positioning of the MF and the ML in relation to the medial surface of the mandibular ramus, however, with a more superior and posterior positioning when the relatives values—which also indicated an oval morphology of the MF and trapezoidal shape of the ML—were considered. The inferior alveolar sulcus was in an acute angle with the posterior margin of the ramus with a larger opening in the left side of the mandible—but equals, however, considering the margins of error. Conclusions: With the data presented in this study, the surgeon will obtain quantitative and qualitative parameters that can be added to the surgical literature available, facilitating the identification and preservation of the anatomic structures in check, reducing, thus, the risk of iatrogenic injuries. © 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.