Osteometric Study of the Mandibular Foramen in Dry Adult Human Mandibles of South-East Nigerian Population

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the location of the mandibular foramen of Nigerian population in South-East Nigeria. A total of Sixty-five (65) dry adult human mandibles obtained from the Departments of Human Anatomy of the University of Port Harcourt, University of Calabar, Niger Delta University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi campus and Abia State University. The following parameters of the mandibular ramus were measured in order to locate and describe the position of the mandibular foramen (MF) using a digital vernier caliper: The distance from the anterior border (AB) of ramus to the mandibular foramen (AB MF), mandibular foramen to the posterior border (PB) of ramus (MF-PB), the distance from the anterior border to the posterior border of the ramus (AB-PB), the distance from the mandibular notch (MN) to the mandibular foramen (MN-MF), from the mandibular foramen to the mandibular base (MF-MB) and mandibular notch to the mandibular base(MB) (MN-MB), the distance from the mandibular foramen to the Gonion (G) (MF-G). The data obtained were tabulated and statistically analyzed. The mean AB-MF and MF-PB distances were 20.95±3.10mm and 13.73±1.87mm respectively while the mean MN-MF distance was 24.64 ±3.06mm and 27.60 ±3.72mm for MF-MB distance. The mean MF-G distance was 24.20±3.46mm. However, the AB-PB distance was 37.02±3.88mm while the distance MN-MF was 52.35±4.83mm. A good knowledge of the position of the mandibular foramen will be beneficial to anthropologists during paleo-anthropological studies and to maxillofacial surgeons, oncologists and radiologists in preventing neurovascular complications and radiologic misinterpretations while working on mandibles.