Mandibular Incisive Canal in Panoramic View

One of the anatomic structures in mental interforaminal area is mandibular incisive canal (MIC). Due to the lack of sufficient emphasis in anatomic texts and limited ability of conventional radiographies to depict it, this structure is not fully recognized or considered by dentists in planning treatment. Ignorance of this canal can lead to post-surgical complications in this region.The aim of this study was the assessment of radiographic appearance of mandibular incisive canal in panoramic view. In this cross-sectional study, 2324 panoramic views of patients (1117 males, 1207 females) with the mean age of 18 to 70 years were inspected for presence of MIC. Digital photographies were obtained from those radiographic views containing MIC. Then panoramic views with good visible MIC were selected in the study. A data sheet containing age, sex, visibility, extension of the canal in each side, and distance between MIC and inferior border of mandible was completed. An approximate course of MIC was determined and drawn. Chi-square test and SPSS- 11.5 software were used to analyze the data.In 883 cases (38%) of panoramic radiographies, MIC was visible, and 277 of them (11.9%) displayed MIC with good visibility. In 19% of cases MIC was detected in right side, and in 14% of cases it was detected in left side. In rest of the cases (67%) canals were visible on both sides. Based on Chi-square test, good visibility of the canals in men was significantly more than in women. Because less than 50% of panoramic views with good quality and standard protocol could depict incisive canal of the lower jaw, use of other more reliable methods such as C.T or tomography should be recommended in case of necessity.