Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-018-2080-7 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Determination of presence and morphometry of lingual foramina and canals in Chilean mandibles using cone-beam CT images Reinaldo Soto 1  · Guillermo Concha 2  · Sebastián Pardo 3  · Felipe Cáceres 1 Received: 6 March 2018 / Accepted: 11 August 2018 © Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature 2018 Abstract Purpose To describe the presence and anatomical characteristics of lingual foramina and canals using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in a sample of Chilean dry mandibles. Methods Cone-beam computed tomography images of 68 adult mandibles of indeterminate sex and age were analyzed. The description of number and position of lingual foramina were tabulated using a position regarding the mental spines (superior, between, and inferior to the mental spines). Area and diameter of the foramina and length of the canals found were measured. Results All the mandibles had one or more lingual foramen. The median was 3 foramina with a minimum of 1 and a maxi- mum of 4. The most frequent positions were superior and inferior with 88% and 85% of presence, respectively. The lingual canal diameter obtained for the superior position was 1.04 ± 0.38 mm, for the between position was 1.02 ± 0.5 mm, and fnally 1 ± 0.3 mm for the inferior position. The lingual canal length for the superior position was 6.38 ± 2.4 mm, for the between position 6.77 ± 1.33, and 5.38 ± 0.25 mm for the inferior position. Conclusions All the mandibles have one or more lingual foramina. The most frequent positions were superior and inferior. Many of the lingual foramina found were over 1 mm in diameter. The lingual canal length was over 5 mm for all the positions. Keywords Lingual foramen · Lingual canal · Mandibular anatomy · Cone-beam computed tomography Introduction Midline lingual foramina and canals are bone structures located at the lingual aspect of anterior mandible [23]. The study of the mandibular anatomy and its variants is neces- sary for surgical procedures in this region. Normal and vari- ations of this anatomy have been extensively described in the literature. This article focuses on the presence and mor- phologic characteristics of these bone structures described on the lingual mandibular plate. Both of them have not been sufciently described in the classical literature, but with the development of surgical procedures, like mandibular anterior dental implants or chin surgery, there has been an increase in complications associated with these anatomical elements. One of the most dangerous complications is related to bleed- ing caused by injured vessels associated with the lingual foramen and canal, which can cause a compression of the airway [11, 13, 15]. These possible complications have resulted in the description of the presence and morphology of these foramina and canals in diferent populations, gen- ders, and races [3, 7, 16, 17, 23, 27]. These studies show the main elements that travel through these foramina and canals are arterial vessels, with a centrifugal blood fow from the lingual plate to the depth of the mandible symphysis either from sublingual or submental vessels [21, 24]. The aim of this study was to describe the presence and anatomical characteristics of lingual foramina and canals found using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in a sample of Chilean dry mandibles. * Felipe Cáceres felipec.merino@gmail.com 1 Morphology Unit, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de los Andes, Monseñor Álvaro del Portillo 12455, Las Condes, 7620001 Santiago, Chile 2 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile 3 Private Practice, Santiago, Chile