Radiographic assessment of the mandibular retromolar canal using cone-beam computed tomography.
OBJECTIVE
The 'retromolar' nerve is a collateral branch of the inferior alveolar nerve. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) provides higher resolution images. This CBCT study reports the frequency of the retromolar nerve.


METHODS
From 2007-2010 the CBCT study of 233 hemi-mandibles have been examined. The CBCT study was obtained from an investigation of the posterior mandibular region in 187 patients suffering from different pathologies and it was aimed at detecting in patients the presence of a retromolar canal and foramen.


RESULTS
Thirty-four retromolar canals with a foramen were detected on 233 CBCT (14.6%) in 30 out of 187 patients (16%). In the 46 patients who underwent CBCT bilaterally, the retromolar canal was found in nine subjects (19.6%) and was present bilaterally in four subjects, for an incidence of 8.7%.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the radiological frequency of the retromolar nerve is notable, with a possible relevance in the surgical approach of the mandibular retromolar area. The presence of a retromolar canal, well detected with CBCT, may warn clinicians about the possibility of inadequate pre-surgical anaesthesia, local intra-operative bleeding and post-operative alterations of the sensation in the third molar area.
Department of Oral and Dental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. giuseppelizio@libero.it
Giuseppe
G
Lizio
Gian Andrea
GA
Pelliccioni
Gino
G
Ghigi
Alessandro
A
Fanelli
Claudio
C
Marchetti
D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000294:innervation; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*