Lingual vascular canals of the mandible: the risk of bleeding complications during implant procedures.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this article is to investigate the potential risk of a critical life-threatening hemorrhage due to the perforation of the lingual cortical plate and arterial trauma of the terminal branches of the sublingual artery. In fact, in many cases, implants are placed in the mandibular interforaminal region, and this area is also often involved in oral surgery as a bone donor site.


METHODS
One hundred dry skull Caucasian mandibles and 100 computed tomographies (CTs) of the mandible of Caucasian patients were examined. The entrances of the lingual vascular canals were analyzed. Positions and dimensions of the entrances are reported.


RESULTS
In 80% of the dry skull mandibles, at least 1 lingual canal was found, and the CT scan detected the presence of at least 1 lingual vascular canal in up to 60% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
A CT examination should routinely be performed before any surgical approach to the interforaminal region.
Longoni
Salvatore
S
Oral Surgery Specialty, Milano-Bicocca University Dental School-Italy, Via Adamello 1, 20020 Lazzate, Milan, Italy. salvatorelongoni@sapol.it
Sartori
Matteo
M
Braun
Marc
M
Bravetti
Pierre
P
Lapi
Antonio
A
Baldoni
Marco
M
Tredici
Giovanni
G
D001158:Arteries / Q000293:injuries; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015921:Dental Implants; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D015921:Dental Implants