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An evaluation of mandibular canal variations: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Abstract

The inferior alveolar nerve and vessels are carried via the mandibular canal, which extends bilaterally from the inferior alveolar foramen to the mental foramen. Bifid and trifid mandibular canals result from abnormal fusions of nerve canals. The purpose of this study was to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of the prevalence of mandibular canal variations among healthy adults, and to identify any potential ethnic, sex, or laterality predilections. The prevalence of the bifid mandibular canal was 18.87% and that of the trifid canal 1.3%. Unilateral variants were three times commoner than bilateral. Each mandibular half had four canals emanating from separate openings on the lingual surface of the mandibular ramus. Retromolar and forward canals were the predominant subtypes, followed by dental; buccolingual were the least frequent. The mean length and diameter of the bifid mandibular canal were 13.62 mm and 1.63 mm, respectively. The possibility of a bifid mandibular canal is a crucial consideration in dental medicine. Because anatomical variations of the mandibular canal are fairly common, awareness of them is essential for anatomy teachers and for surgeons who operate in the oromaxillofacial region.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India

    Adil Asghar, Ananya Priya & Padamjeet Panchal

  2. Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, India

    Kumar Satish Ravi

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, 131 S. Robertson St. Suite 1300, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    Joe Iwanaga & R. Shane Tubbs

  4. Department of Neurology, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Joe Iwanaga & R. Shane Tubbs

  5. Dental and Oral Medical Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan

    Joe Iwanaga

  6. Division of Gross and Clinical Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan

    Joe Iwanaga

  7. Ochsner Neuroscience Institute, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA, USA

    R. Shane Tubbs

  8. Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA

    R. Shane Tubbs

  9. Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. Georg’s University School of Medicine, St. George’s, Grenada

    R. Shane Tubbs

  10. Department of Anaesthesiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India

    Shagufta Naaz

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  1. Adil Asghar
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  2. Ananya Priya
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AA: conceptualization, search strategies, risk of bias, statistical analysis, and manuscript preparation. AP: literature search, shortlisting of manuscripts, risk of bias, and data extraction. KSR: collection of literature, shortlisting of manuscripts, and manuscript editing. Joe Iwanaga: manuscript preparation, and manuscript review and editing. RST: manuscript preparation, and manuscript review and editing. SN: literature search and data extraction, PP: manuscript review and editing.

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Asghar, A., Priya, A., Ravi, K.S. et al. An evaluation of mandibular canal variations: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Anat Sci Int 98, 176–184 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-022-00682-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-022-00682-7

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