International Journal of Science and Healthcare Research Vol.4; Issue: 1; Jan.-March 2019 Website: www.ijshr.com Original Research Article ISSN: 2455-7587 International Journal of Science and Healthcare Research (www.ijshr.com) 220 Vol.4; Issue: 1; January-March 2019 Morphology and Morphometric Analysis of the Mental Foramen in Dry Adult Human Mandibles from North India Dalvinder Singh 1 , Poonam Patnaik 2 , Neha Gupta 3 1 Associate Professor, 2 Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi - 110025 3 Professor, Sudha Rustagi College of Dental Science & Research Institute, Faridabad, Haryana -121002 Corresponding Author: Dalvinder Singh ABSTRACT Introduction: The mental foramen is an important anatomical landmark, known to transmit mental nerve, a branch of the inferior alveolar nerve to supply the lower lip, gum and also the buccal vestibule anterior to the first mandibular molar. The position of the mental foramen has been shown to vary according to race. Therefore, this study was carried out to provide information on the location and other relative parameter of the mental foramen in mandibles of the north Indian population. Materials and methods: Sixty four dry adult human mandibles were examined in this study. Various morphological and morphometrical parameters were measured by using vernier caliper, divider and scale on the right and left sides of the mandible. Result: In the present study the most common position of the mental foramen was in line with the longitudinal axis of the mandibular second premolar and was found to be in 67.46 % of the cases on the right side and 65.06 % on the left side. The mean distance of the mental foramen from the symphysis menti was 26.12±6.76 mm and 25.91±7.10 mm on the right and left sides respectively and from the posterior border of the ramus was 71.71±7.10 mm and 71.78±7.92 mm on the right and left sides respectively. The mental foramen was situated at a mean distance of 15.11±2.71 mm on the right side and 14.14±3.12 mm on the left side from the mandibular base and at a mean distance of 13.01±3.21 mm on the right side and 14.13±3.00 mm on the left side from the alveolar crest. The most prevalent shape was found to be oval on both sides (71.87% on right and 60.93% on left side). The mean transverse diameters was 3.45±0.70 mm on right and 2.90±0.87 mm on left sides whereas the mean vertical diameters was 2.33±0.56 mm and 2.23±0.94 mm on right and left sides respectively. The knowledge of the position of mental foramen helps surgeons in planning surgery in the oral and maxillofacial region to avoid nerve damage and also enable effective mental nerve block anesthesia. Key words: Mental foramen, mandible, mental nerve, morphometric. INTRODUCTION The mental foramen is present on the external surface of each side of the mandible. It transmits mental nerve, a branch of the inferior alveolar nerve to supply the lower lip, gum and also the buccal vestibule anterior to the first mandibular molar. [1,2] The identification and precise location of the mental foramen is of great importance to dental surgeon during the surgical procedures on the mandible, such as the curettage of the premolars, filling procedures, dental implants, root canal treatments, orthognathic surgeries, pre-prosthetic surgery and flap operation of lower teeth region. [3-5] Schaeffer [6] observed that the mental foramen is located between the apices of the lower premolars. According to Tebo and Telford, [7] location of the mental foramen is below the apex of second mandibular premolar which was comparative to the finding of Sanker et al. [8] The variations in the shape, size, location of mental foramen have been reported, which are influenced by individual, gender, age, race and accessing technique used. Considering these factors, the present study was undertaken to provide