title: Anthropomorphic assessment of the retromolar foramen and retromolar nerve: anomaly or variation of normal anatomy?
abstract: The retromolar foramen, retromolar canal, and retromolar nerve constitute a variation of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) with a prevalence of 12-75%; this represents type 1 bifidity of the IAN. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of the retromolar nerve in our population and to obtain related data. One hundred and thirty-six mandibles of fresh cadavers aged 20-75 years were dissected. The buccolingual location, diameter, and distance from the third molar, and their associations with sex, were measured. The area of innervation and demographic data were also documented and analysed statistically. The retromolar foramen and retromolar nerve were observed in 55 cases (40.4%). The mean diameter of the retromolar foramen was 1.7 mm (range 1.1-2.1 mm); the mean diameter was 1.8 mm in males and 1.5mm in females. Histological findings showed that the retromolar nerve extended from the anterior border of the ramus, innervating the retromolar pad and continuing to the buccal gingiva of up to two teeth anteriorly (first molar region). This high percentage of IAN type 1 bifidity (40.4%) suggests it to be a normal anatomical variation of the IAN rather than an anomaly.
authors.affiliation: Trauma Research Centre, Baqiyatallah University of Medial Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Azad University, Tehran Dental Branch, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: motamedical@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: M H K
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Motamedi
authors.affiliation: Forensic Medicine Research Centre, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gharedaghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Azad University, Tehran Dental Branch, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehralizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Azad University, Tehran Dental Branch, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Navi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Azad University, Tehran Dental Branch, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Badkoobeh
authors.affiliation: College of Dentistry, Azad University of Tehran, Dental Branch, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Azizi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D000886:Anthropometry; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: bifid mandibular canal; inferior alveolar nerve; retromolar; type 1 bifidity