title: Radiographic study of the mental foramen in a selected Saudi population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the most common position of the mental foramen in a selected Saudi population and to compare the results with those reported for other populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and fourteen panoramic radiographs of a Saudi population from four different dental centres were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The commonest position of the mental foramen was in line with the longitudinal axis of the second premolar (45.3%) followed closely by location between the first and second premolars (42.7%). The mental foramen was symmetrical in 80% of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians should expect to find the position of the mental foramen to be symmetrical and in line with the second premolar teeth.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: al Jasser
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Nwoku
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs; D002680:Chin / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012529:Saudi Arabia