title: Bifid mandibular canal in Japanese.
abstract: The location and configuration of mandibular canal variations are important in surgical procedures involving the mandible, such as extraction of an impacted third molar, dental implant treatment, and sagittal split ramus osteotomy. We report 3 Japanese patients with bifid mandibular canals using panoramic radiograph and multi-slice helical computed tomography (CT) images. In 2 of the 5 sides, the bifid mandibular canal was suggested on panoramic radiograph. The bifid mandibular canal had a short and narrow upper canal toward the distal area of the second molar in 4 sides, and a short and narrow lower canal toward the distal area of second molar in 1 side, as revealed on reconstructed CT images. Since the location and configuration of mandibular canal variations are important in surgical procedures involving the mandible, they should be carefully observed using reconstructed CT images.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Aichi-Gakuin University, and Dental Hospital, Aichi-Gakuin University, Nagoya, Japan. mune@dpc.aichi-gakuin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Munetaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naitoh
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiraiwa
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aimiya
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gotoh
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ariji
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurita
authors.forename: Eiichiro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ariji
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation*; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed