Mental Foramen - Wikipedia

Anatomical feature of the jawbone

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Mental foramen
Mandible. Outer surface. Side view. (Mental foramen visible at left.)
Details
Part of	Mandible
Identifiers
Latin	foramen mentale
MeSH	D000080383
TA98	A02.1.15.007
TA2	845
FMA	53171
Anatomical terms of bone[edit on Wikidata]

The mental foramen is one of two foramina (openings) located on the anterior surface of the mandible. It is part of the mandibular canal. It transmits the terminal branches of the inferior alveolar nerve and the mental vessels.

Structure

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The mental foramen is located on the anterior surface of the mandible. It is directly below the commisure of the lips, and the tendon of depressor labii inferioris muscle.[1] It is at the end of the mandibular canal, which begins at the mandibular foramen on the posterior surface of the mandible. It transmits the terminal branches of the inferior alveolar nerve (the mental nerve),[1] the mental artery, and the mental vein.

Variation

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The mental foramen descends slightly in toothless individuals.[2]

The mental foramen is in line with the longitudinal axis of the second premolar in 63% of people.[3] It generally lies at the level of the vestibular fornix and about a finger's breadth above the inferior border of the mandible.

In the general population, 17% of mandibles have an additional mental foramen or foramina on at least one side,[3] while 4% of the mandibles show multiple mental foramina on both sides. Most are unequal in size, often with a single large foramen while any others are smaller.[3] An incisive mental foramen is observed in 1% of the side of the mandible.[3]

Clinical significance

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The mental nerve may be anaesthetized as it leaves the mental foramen.[1] This causes loss of sensation to the lower lip and chin on the same side.[1]

Additional images

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• Side view of the skull.
• The skull from the front.
• Distribution of the maxillary and mandibular nerves, and the submaxillary ganglion.
• Mandibular division of the trifacial nerve.
• The permanent teeth, viewed from the right.

See also

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• Mandibular foramen

References

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1. ^ a b c d Doherty, Tom; Schumacher, James (2011). "15 - Dental restraint and anesthesia". Equine Dentistry (3rd ed.). Saunders. pp. 241–244. doi:10.1016/B978-0-7020-2980-6.00015-5. ISBN 978-0-7020-2980-6.
2. ^ Soikkonen K, Wolf J, Ainamo A, Xie Q (November 1995). "Changes in the position of the mental foramen as a result of alveolar atrophy". Journal of Oral Rehabilitation. 22 (11): 831–3. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2842.1995.tb00230.x. PMID 8558356.
3. ^ a b c d Jaffar, A. A.; Al-Zubaidi, A. F.; Al-Salihi, A. R. (2002). "Anatomical features of clinical significance in dry mandibles". Iraqi Dental Journal. 29: 99–118. Archived from the original on 2008-12-29.

External links

[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mental foramen.

• cranialnerves at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (V)
• Diagram at uni-mainz.de

v t e The facial skeleton of the skull
Maxilla	Surfaces Anterior: fossae (Incisive fossa, Canine fossa) Infraorbital foramen Orbital bones Anterior nasal spine Infratemporal: Alveolar canals Maxillary tuberosity Orbital: Infraorbital groove Infraorbital canal Nasal: Greater palatine canal Processes Zygomatic process Frontal process (Agger nasi, Anterior lacrimal crest) Alveolar process Palatine process (Incisive foramen, Incisive canals, Foramina of Scarpa, Incisive bone, Anterior nasal spine) Other Body of maxilla Maxillary sinus
Zygomatic	Orbital process (Zygomatico-orbital) Temporal process (Zygomaticotemporal) Lateral process (Zygomaticofacial)
Palatine	Fossae Pterygopalatine fossa Pterygoid fossa Plates Horizontal plate (Posterior nasal spine) Perpendicular plate (Greater palatine canal, Sphenopalatine foramen) Hard palate Processes Pyramidal Orbital Sphenoidal
Mandible	Body external surface (Chin, Jaw, Mandibular prominence, Mandibular symphysis, Lingual foramen, Mental protuberance, Mental foramen, Mandibular incisive canal) internal surface (Mental spine, Mylohyoid line, Sublingual fovea, Submandibular fovea) Alveolar part Ramus Mylohyoid groove Mandibular canal Lingula Mandibular foramen Angle Coronoid process Mandibular notch Condyloid process Pterygoid fovea
Nose	Nasal bone Internasal suture Nasal foramina Inferior nasal concha Ethmoidal process Maxillary process Vomer Wing
Other	Lacrimal Posterior lacrimal crest Lacrimal groove Lacrimal hamulus Prognathism Retromolar space

v t e Foramina of the skull (and canals, fissures, meatus, and hiatus)
Anterior cranial fossa	to Orbit: ethmoidal foramina anterior posterior to Nasal cavity: olfactory foramina (CN-I) foramen cecum
Middle cranial fossa	to Orbit: optic canal (CN-II) superior orbital fissure (CN-III,IV,V1,VI) to Pterygopalatine fossa: foramen rotundum (CN-V2) pterygoid canal to Infratemporal fossa: foramen ovale (CN-V3) foramen spinosum/carotid canal other: foramen lacerum hiatus for greater petrosal nerve hiatus for lesser petrosal nerve sphenoidal emissary foramen
Posterior cranial fossa	internal auditory meatus/facial canal/stylomastoid foramen (CN-VII,VIII) jugular foramen (CN-IX,X,XI) foramen magnum (CN-XI) hypoglossal canal (CN-XII) condylar canal mastoid foramen
Orbit	to Nasal cavity: nasolacrimal canal to face: supraorbital notch foramen infraorbital foramen groove zygomatic foramen -facial -temporal to Pterygopalatine fossa: inferior orbital fissure other: Inferior orbital fissure Fossa for lacrimal sac
Pterygopalatine fossa	to Nasal cavity: sphenopalatine foramen to Oral cavity: greater palatine canal foramen lesser palatine canals foramina to Infratemporal fossa: pterygomaxillary fissure to Nasopharynx: palatovaginal canal
to oral cavity: incisive canals incisive foramen to nasal cavity: foramen vomerinum meatus vomerinus fissura vomerina hiatus vomerinus
Other	external acoustic meatus mandibular foramen mental foramen parietal foramen petrotympanic fissure semilunar hiatus

Authority control databases	Terminologia Anatomica

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