Supraorbital Notch/Foramen, Infraorbital Foramen and Mental Foramen in Thais: anthropometric measurements and surgical relevance.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the morphology and the locations of the SupraOrbital Notch/Foramen (SON/F), InfraOrbital Foramen (IOF), and Mental Foramen (MF) relative to frequently encountered surgical landmarks.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

One hundred and six Thai adult skulls were investigated.

RESULTS

Mean horizontal widths of SON, SOF, IOF and MF were 4.31 +/- 1.61 mm, 2.81 +/- 0.62 mm, 3.35 +/- 0.62 mm and 2.80 +/- 0.70 mm, respectively. The SON/F was situated 25.14 +/- 4.29 mm lateral to the nasal midline, 26.57 +/- 3.92 mm medial to the temporal crest of the frontal bone and 3.15 +/- 1.29 mm superior to the supraorbital rim. The IOF was 28.43 +/- 2.29 mm lateral to the maxillary midline, 9.23 +/- 2.03 mm below the infraorbital rim and 2.15 +/- 1.67 mm medial to the zygomaticomaxillary suture. Mean vertical distances from the IOF to the SOF and to occlusal plane of the upper teeth were 44.95 +/- 2.96 mm and 42.52 +/- 3.89 mm, respectively. The IOF was frequently found in the same vertical line with the second upper premolar and its usual direction of opening pointed downward medially. The MF was a mean of 28.52 +/- 2.15 mm lateral to the symphysis menti and most commonly observed in line with the second lower premolar. Its usual direction of opening was in a posterosuperior direction.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study may assist surgeons to localize important maxillofacial neurovascular bundles passing through these foramina in facilitating surgical, local anesthetic and other invasive procedures.