title: Correlation of Radiographic Mental Foramen Position and Occulusion in Three Different Indian Populations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The knowledge of the position of the mental foramen (MF) is important for administering local anaesthesia for diagnostic, surgical or operative procedures.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the shape, position, symmetry of MF and its continuity with the inferior dental canal (IDC) on a digital panoramic view and to find its correlation with Angle's molar relations in three Indian subpopulations. The study also determines the correlation of inter-foramen distance in both genders of three Indian subpopulations.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty digital panoramic radiographs were evaluated from three Indian subpopulations (Punjab, Rajasthan and Northeast [NE]). The assessment of occlusion was based on Angle's molar relationships. The data obtained were statistically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The commonest position of the MF in the Rajasthan and NE populations was position 4 bilaterally, while in the Punjab population, it was position 3 on the right and position 4 on the left side. The majority of the MF was round in shape followed by oval. The mean distance between two MF was highest among the Punjab male population and least among the NE female population. The most frequent pattern of MF continuity with IDC was diffuse in Rajasthan population, separated in NE and continuous in Punjab. Correlation between Angle's molar relation with MF position was significant for Classes I and II but not for Class III. Correlation of inter-foramen distance between genders was highly significant in the NE and Punjab populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The commonest MF position was aligned with the 1st premolar and between the 1st and 2nd premolar.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Surendera Dental College and Hospital, Sriganganagar 335001, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Surendera Dental College and Hospital, Sriganganagar 335001, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bansal
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Surendera Dental College and Hospital, Sriganganagar 335001, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Surendera Dental College and Research Institute, HH Gardens, Power House Road, Sriganganagar 335001, Rajasthan, India. drguptakanika@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Surendera Dental College and Hospital, Sriganganagar 335001, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sachdev
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, Vaidik Dental College and Hospital, Daman, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patwardhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Uttaranchal Dental and Medical College Research Institute, Dehradun, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garg