title: Anatomic study on mental canal and incisive nerve canal in interforaminal region in Chinese population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed to detect the positions of mental canal and incisive nerve canal as well as the prolongation of mandibular canal in interforaminal region in Chinese population to supply the reference data of the surgical safe zone in chin for clinicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 80 formalin-fixed semi-mandibles of Chinese adult cadavers were dissected, the positions and courses of mental canal and incisive nerve canal as well as the prolongation of mandibular canal in interforaminal region were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mental foramina were present in all cases (100 %), and most of them were located below 2nd premolar (58.75 %). Accessory mental foramina were observed in 5 %. The anterior end of mandibular canal, extending along the course of 7.37 ± 1.10 mm above the lower border of mandible to interforaminal region about 3.54 ± 0.70 mm medial to the mental foramen, most often ended below between the two premolars (73.75 %), where it continued as the incisive nerve canal (100 %) and the mental canal (96.25 %). Mental canal, with the wall formed by compact bone, being 2.60 ± 0.60 mm in diameter and 4.01 ± 1.20 mm in length, opened into mental foramen. Incisive nerve canal, with the wall formed by thin compact bone and/or partly or completely by spongy bone, being 1.76 ± 0.27 mm in diameter and 24.87 ± 2.23 mm in length, extended to the incisor region along the course of 9.53 ± 1.43 mm above the lower border of mandible, and most often ended below the lateral incisor (70.00 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research recommended for chin operations in Chinese population: the surgical safe zone could be set in the region about over 4 mm anterior to the mental foramen, and over 12 mm above inferior border of mandible for anterior alveolar surgery, or within 9 mm above inferior border of mandible for genioplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Academy of Basic Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suo
authors.forename: Xiufen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guangxin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Xiaoran
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yongxing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D002102:Cadaver; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008875:Middle Aged