Tsatsarelis Charalambos, Thomaidi Zoi Maria, Papadopoulos Vasileios
Laboratory of Anatomy, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 67100 Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Dent J (Basel). 2025 May 19;13(5):218. doi: 10.3390/dj13050218.
: The lingual foramina of the mandible serve as passageways for arterial branches that are susceptible to injury during surgical procedures, potentially leading to varying degrees of hemorrhage. The objective of the present study was to contribute to the quantification and classification of lingual foramina using cadaveric dry mandibles in relation to surgical safety and, especially, to the risk of perioperative bleeding. : This study examined the number, diameter, and spatial relationship of lingual foramina to the genial tubercle, alveolar process, and alveolar crest in dry mandibles. Stainless steel wire threads and Digimatic caliper measurements were utilized. Cluster analysis was employed for the classification of foramina into distinct spatial groups. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean values among ≥3 groups. : A total of 100 dry mandibles were initially analyzed for the presence of lingual foramina with a diameter of ≥2 mm. In 96 of them (50 dentate and 46 edentulous), 387 lingual foramina (mean: 4.03 per mandible) were recognized; the remaining 4 had smaller lingual foramina (diameter <2 mm). Only 4 mandibles (4.2%) exhibited a single lingual foramen, whereas the remaining 92 (95.8%) displayed multiple foramina (up to nine). The observed lingual foramina had a diameter of 0.44 ± 0.02 mm and were located at distances of 8.74 ± 0.54 mm from the genial tubercle, 14.19 ± 0.87 mm from the alveolar crest, and 14.53 ± 0.84 mm from the inferior border of the mandible. Based on their relationship to the genial tubercle, the foramina were classified into four distinct groups: (i) right (27/387-7%), (ii) proximal (254/387-66%), (iii) superior (81/387-21%), and (iv) left (25/387-6%). The superior group exhibited the largest mean diameter (0.52 ± 0.22 mm, ANOVA < 0.001). The probability of detecting a lingual foramen was minimized at a distance of 13.00 ± 0.50 mm from the genial tubercle, delineating a relatively safe zone with a lower risk of hemorrhage. : This study provides anatomical insights that contribute to appropriate preoperative planning and the minimization of complications during surgical interventions on the mandible.
下颌骨的舌侧孔是动脉分支的通道，在外科手术过程中这些动脉分支易受损伤，可能导致不同程度的出血。本研究的目的是利用尸体干燥下颌骨，对舌侧孔进行量化和分类，以评估手术安全性，特别是围手术期出血风险。
本研究检查了干燥下颌骨中舌侧孔的数量、直径以及舌侧孔与颏结节、牙槽突和牙槽嵴的空间关系。采用不锈钢丝螺纹和数显卡尺测量。运用聚类分析将孔分为不同的空间组。使用单因素方差分析（ANOVA）比较≥3组的平均值。
最初对100具干燥下颌骨进行分析，以确定直径≥2mm的舌侧孔的存在情况。其中96具（50具为有牙颌，46具为无牙颌）共识别出387个舌侧孔（平均每具下颌骨4.03个）；其余4具下颌骨的舌侧孔较小（直径<2mm）。仅4具下颌骨（4.2%）有单个舌侧孔，其余92具（95.8%）有多个孔（最多9个）。观察到的舌侧孔直径为0.44±0.02mm，距离颏结节8.74±0.54mm，距离牙槽嵴14.19±0.87mm，距离下颌骨下缘14.53±0.84mm。根据舌侧孔与颏结节的关系，将这些孔分为四个不同的组：（i）右侧（27/387 - 7%），（ii）近端（254/387 - 66%），（iii）上方（81/387 - 21%），和（iv）左侧（25/387 - 6%）。上方组的平均直径最大（0.52±0.22mm，ANOVA < 0.001）。在距离颏结节13.00±0.50mm处检测到舌侧孔的概率最小，划定了一个出血风险较低的相对安全区域。
本研究提供了解剖学见解，有助于下颌骨手术干预的术前合理规划并减少并发症。
