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Submitted
11 March 2025
Accepted
17 March 2025
Published
25 March 2025
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Abstract

Background: The mental foramen is a crucial anatomical landmark in the lower jaw, providing a passage for nerves and blood vessels. Variations in its location, shape, and size can impact dental procedures and surgical outcomes, with global variations affecting approximately 60% of the population. Understanding these variations is essential to reduce surgical risks and improve patient outcomes in dental practices. Objective: The study aimed to identify the pattern of mental foramen and anterior loop in patients attending Qassim University, using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) to assess its prevalence, classification, and distance from the mandibular border. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at the College of Dentistry, Qassim University, with 371 participants selected by simple random method. Data collection involved CBCT scans evaluated independently by a radiologist and a maxillofacial surgeon, with inter-examiner agreement ensured through calibration. Statistical analysis used SPSS® software version 21, with chi-square and Fisher's exact tests for significance, and the Kappa test for inter-observer bias. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional ethics committee. Results: The study involved 340 participants, with 68.8% males and 31.2% females. The most prevalent right-side classification was Type I (52.6%), followed by Type II (31.8%) and Type III (15.6%). The left side showed a similar distribution with Type I at 48.8%, Type II at 31.5%, and Type III at 19.7%. Most mental foramina were directed upward (93.8% on the right side and 93.5% on the left side). The most common pattern for the mental foramen was the straight pattern (67.5%), with the anterior loop (18.8%) and perpendicular patterns (13.7%) being less common. Conclusion: The study found significant variations in mental foramen patterns, the most common being the straight pattern. Although there was no significant association between gender and classification, a significant association was observed between bilateral occurrence and left-side classification.

Keywords

Mental Foramen, Anterior Loop, Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), Dental Surgery, Anatomical Variations

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Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Contemporary Dental Sciences

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Abdullah Alhudaithi, Intern, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

Intern, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

Ali Ibrahim Aljuailan, Intern, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Intern, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

Hamad Alzaidan, Intern, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia

. Intern, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

Faris Almutairi, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia

. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Ahmed Abdulrahman Alrashaid, Intern, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Intern, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

How to Cite
Alhudaithi, A. ., Aljuailan, A. I., Alzaidan, H., Almutairi, F. ., Alrashaid, A. A. ., & Kolarkodi, S. H. (2025). Patterns of Mental Foramen and Anterior Loop in Patients Attending Qassim University. A CBCT-based cross-sectional study. Journal of Contemporary Dental Sciences, 2(1), 34–42. Retrieved from https://jcds.qu.edu.sa/index.php/JCDS/article/view/2383
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