Mental foramen

Mental foramen
Mandible. Outer surface. Side view. (Mental foramen visible at left.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	foramen mentale
Dorlands /Elsevier	f_12/12373306
TA	A02.1.15.007
FMA	53171
*Anatomical terms of bone* [edit on Wikidata]

The mandibular incisive canal (indicated here by coral green arrows) continuing anteriorly (to the right) from the mandibular canal (purple arrows) after the mental foramen (light green circle).

The mental foramen is one of two foramina (openings) located on the anterior surface of the mandible. It transmits the terminal branches of the inferior alveolar nerve and vessels. The mental foramen descends slightly in toothless individuals.^[1]

Variations

The most frequent position (63%) of the mental foramen is in line with the longitudinal axis of the 2nd premolar tooth. Multiple mental foramina are observed in 17% of the sides. Only (4%) of the mandibles show bilateral multiple mental foramina. The majority of the multiple foramina are unequal in size: a single large foramen while the others are small (satellite) foramina. An incisive mental foramen is observed in 1% of the sides.^[2]

Additional images

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.

References

↑ Soikkonen K, Wolf J, Ainamo A, Xie Q. (November 1995). "Changes in the position of the mental foramen as a result of alveolar atrophy". J Oral Rehabil. 22 (11): 831–3. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2842.1995.tb00230.x. PMID 8558356.
↑ http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/akramjfr/mental_frmn.html&date=2009-10-25+12:10:19

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mental foramen.

cranialnerves at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (V)
Anatomy diagram: 34256.000-1 at Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, Elsevier
Anatomy diagram: 34256.000-2 at Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, Elsevier
SUNY - lateral view
SUNY - frontal view
Diagram at uni-mainz.de

The facial skeleton of the skull

Maxilla

Surfaces	Anterior: fossae (Incisive fossa, Canine fossa) Infraorbital foramen 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

Palatine

Fossae	Pterygopalatine fossa Pterygoid fossa

Plates	Horizontal plate (Posterior nasal spine) Perpendicular plate (Greater palatine canal, Sphenopalatine foramen)

Processes	Pyramidal Orbital Sphenoidal

Mandible

Body	external surface (Mandibular symphysis, Lingual foramen, Mental protuberance, Mental foramen, Mandibular incisive canal) internal surface (Mental spine, Mylohyoid line, Sublingual fovea, Submandibular fovea) Alveolar part of mandible

Ramus	Mylohyoid groove (Mandibular canal, Lingula) Mandibular foramen Angle Coronoid process Mandibular notch Condyloid process Pterygoid fovea

Nose

Other

Lacrimal

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

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