Published in:
01-09-2019 | Bone Defect | Anatomic Variations
A mandibular bone defect of uncertain significance: report of a paleopathological case
Authors:
Gastone Sabbadini, Paola Saccheri, Luciana Travan
Published in:
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy
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Issue 9/2019
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Abstract
Anatomical variations of the mandibular canal as well as the presence of accessory canals and foramina are common findings in the human mandible. Here, we present a previously unreported type of anatomical variation, consisting of a large full-thickness bone defect of the right mandibular ramus, observed in a young male unearthed from a mediaeval cemetery located in North-Eastern Italy. The defect was located very close to, yet not directly connected with, the mandibular canal. Awareness of the existence of deviations from the anatomical norm such as that we describe here is strategic to avoid diagnostic misinterpretations, minimise technical hitches, and prevent clinical complications during invasive procedures in the region of the mandible.