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Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy
Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy 6/2018

01-06-2018 | Original Article

The retromolar canals and foramina: radiographic observation and application to oral surgery

Authors: Shogo Kikuta, Joe Iwanaga, Ken Nakamura, Kiyosato Hino, Moriyoshi Nakamura, Jingo Kusukawa

Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy | Issue 6/2018

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Abstract

Purpose

The retromolar canal (RMC) and foramen (RMF) are anatomic variants in the retromolar area of the mandible. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the RMC and RMF and related complications, and to reveal how the RMC could impact the mandibular anatomy using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and panoramic images (PAN).

Materials and methods

CBCT and PAN images of 50 patients were retrospectively analyzed to investigate the morphology of the RMC and RMF, and their impact on impacted third molar surgery and orthognathic surgery.

Results

In PAN images, neither the RMC nor RMF was detected. In CBCT images, the RMCs were detected in 26% (13/50) of the patients. A double RMC was detected on one side of one patient. The diameter of the RMC ranged from 0.8 to 2.9 mm (mean; 1.5 ± 0.6 mm), and the RMF ranged from 0.6 to 2.3 mm (mean; 1.1 ± 0.5 mm). No patients experienced unexpected bleeding. Unilateral postoperative hypoesthesia of the buccal gingiva in the molar region was reported in 6.7% of patients with the RMC.

Conclusions

Hypoesthesia of the buccal gingiva in the lower molar region may be the main complication when the RMC is damaged.
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Metadata
Title
The retromolar canals and foramina: radiographic observation and application to oral surgery
Authors
Shogo Kikuta
Joe Iwanaga
Ken Nakamura
Kiyosato Hino
Moriyoshi Nakamura
Jingo Kusukawa
Publication date
01-06-2018
Publisher
Springer Paris
Published in
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy / Issue 6/2018
Print ISSN: 0930-1038
Electronic ISSN: 1279-8517
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-018-2005-5

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