DOI:
10.37988/1811-153X_2025_2_14Assessment of changes in mandibular foramen position in different age groups by panoramic radiograph in children: a cross-sectional study
Downloads
Abstract
Children’s dental treatment processes require attaining deep and efficient local anesthesia. The knowledge of the mandibular foramen location and its changes along with age increases the probability of successful block injection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in mandibular foramen position in different age groups by panoramic radiographs in children.Materials and methods.
The present study was performed by panoramic radiographs of 135 patients aged 3—13 years. In this study, the relative location of the mandibular foramen was compared in different age groups after removing the magnification of the radiographic device using 6 points and 5 lines, and the changes of this anatomical landmark were surveyed along with age.
Results.
The average age of the children in the study was 7.8±2.7 years. It has been shown that the average horizontal distance of the mandibular foramen with the line perpendicular to the orbital plane and the average vertical distance of the lingula to the occlusal plane have a significant difference from each other in various age groups of patients (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in the average horizontal distance between the age group of 9—11 years and 7—9 years. The most obvious changes were seen in the age group of 11—13 years, that is at the end of the mixed dentition. The result showed a noteworthy variation in the mean vertical distance of the lingula to the occlusal plane among all age categories. As patients’ age increases, the vertical distance of the lingula to the occlusal plane also increases significantly (p<0.001).
Conclusion.
The mandibular foramen is significantly shifted in the horizontal dimension and tilts backward with increasing age. Moreover, the mandibular foramen is significantly shifted in the vertical dimension and tilts to the top of the occlusal plane.
Key words:
mandibular foramen, local anesthesia, panoramic radiography, pediatric dentistryFor Citation
[1]
Khataminia M., Bazaz F.B., Khataminia M., Razavi M. Assessment of changes in mandibular foramen position in different age groups by panoramic radiograph in children: a cross-sectional study. Clinical Dentistry (Russia). 2025; 28 (2): 14—19. DOI: 10.37988/1811-153X_2025_2_14
References
- Temur K.T., Soğukpinar Önsüren A. The location of the mandibular foramen as a guide in mandibular block anesthesia in children by age: A radiographic analysis. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Medicine (Turkey). 2022; 3: 645—648. DOI: 10.52142/omujecm.39.3.10
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Use of local anesthesia for pediatric dental patients. In: The reference manual of pediatric dentistry. Chicago: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, 2024. Pp. 386—93.
- Setyawan E., Triswari D., Kunsputri F.A., Zahratiqa N. Identification of mandibular foramen position based on age of RSGM UMY patients using panoramic radiographs. Advances in Health Sciences Research. 2022; 55: 316—323. DOI: 10.2991/978-94-6463-070-1_38
- Krishnamurthy N.H., Unnikrishnan S., Ramachandra J.A., Arali V. Evaluation of relative position of mandibular foramen in children as a reference for inferior alveolar nerve block using orthopantamograph. J Clin Diagn Res. 2017; 11 (3): ZC71-ZC74. PMID: 28511514
- Paryab M., Ahmadyar M. Locating mandibular foramen in children with mandibular retrognathism in mixed dentition. J Dent Res Dent Clin Dent Prospects. 2015; 9 (2): 66—71. PMID: 26236430
- Dadure C., Capdevila X. Continuous peripheral nerve blocks in children. Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol. 2005; 19 (2): 309—21. PMID: 15966500
- Thunyacharoen S., Lymkhanakhom S., Chantakhat P., Suwanin S., Sawanprom S., Iamaroon A., Janhom A., Mahakkanukrauh P. An anatomical study on locations of the mandibular foramen and the accessory mandibular foramen in the mandible and their clinical implication in a Thai population. Anat Cell Biol. 2020; 53 (3): 252—260. PMID: 32727955
- Vasil’ev Y., Enina Y., Dydykin S., Aleshkina O., Suetenkov D., Kulikova N., Chemidronov S., Velichko E., Antonov O., Diachkova E., Kolsanov A. X-ray and anatomical features of the lower jaw alveolar cortical layer in children. Ann Anat. 2023; 245: 152005. PMID: 36183932
- Darawsheh H., Alsaegh A., Nikolenko V., Bakieva S., Smilyk I., Panin A., Kheygetyan A., Troitskiy V., Leonov D., Vasil‘ev Y. The Influence of craniometric variation on the position of mandibular foramen: A cadaveric cross-sectional study. Medicina (Kaunas). 2024; 60 (12): 1925. PMID: 39768807
- Vathariparambath N., Krishnamurthy N.H., Chikkanarasaiah N. A cone beam computed tomographic study on the location of mandibular and mental foramen in Indian pediatric population. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2022; 15 (4): 422—427. PMID: 36875975
- Chandran S., Peedikayil F.C., Chandru T.P., Kottayi S., John S. Relative position of mandibular foramen in 4—9-year-old children. SRM Journal of Research in Dental Sciences. 2021; 1: 13—16. DOI: 10.4103/srmjrds.srmjrds_81_20
- Upadhyay S., Poudyal S., Mahanta S.K., Bali H., Luitel A., Niroula D. Relative position of mandibular foramen for inferior alveolar nerve block in children: A digital panoramic radiographic study. Journal of Kathmandu Medical College. 2021; : 181—187. DOI: 10.3126/jkmc.v10i4.43858
- Akman H., Surme K. Locating mandibular foramen in children of different age groups using panoramic radiography. Journal of Stomatology. 2021; 3: 172—176. DOI: 10.5114/jos.2021.108837
- Limbu S., Dikshit P., Malla M., Bhagat T. Assessment of mandibular foramen position for inferior alveolar nerve block in children. Nepal Medical Journal. 2021; 4 (2): 66—74.
- Lasemi E., Motamedi M.H.K., Talaeipour A.R., Shafaeifard S., Fard M.J.K., Navi F., Lasemi R., Zardi Z., Alipanah F. Panoramic radiographic relationship of the mandibular foramen to the anterior border of the ramus and occlusal plane as an aid in inferior alveolar nerve block. Anesth Prog. 2019; 66 (1): 20—23. PMID: 30883237
- Akbari F., Ghoochani T.Z., Adel S.R., Sadat H.M., Amin A. The use of panoramic and cephalometric images to guide needle placement for inferior alveolar nerve block in 7-to 12-years-old children. Dental Hypotheses. 2019; 10 (2): 40—46. DOI: 10.4103/denthyp.denthyp_18_19
- Dalili Kajan Z., Khalighi Sigaroudi A., Khosravifard N., Farsam N. Comparison of the mandibular foramen position among different skeletal classes using panoramic radiographs. Iranian Journal of Orthodontics. 2019; 14 (1): e65691.
- Altunsoy M., Aglarci O.S., Ok E., Nur B.G., Gungor E., Colak M. Localization of the mandibular foramen of 8—18 years old children and youths with cone-beam computed tomography. Journal of Pediatric Dentistry. 2014; 2 (2): 44—48. DOI: 10.4103/2321-6646.137677
- Prithiviraj E., Sumathy G. Impact of ageing process in the position of mandibular foramen A morphometric study. Natural Volatiles & Essential Oils. 2021; 8 (5): 396—405.
- Shukla R.H., Tiku A. Correlation of mandibular foramen to occlusal plane as a clinical guide for inferior alveolar nerve block in children: A digital panoramic radiographic study. Contemp Clin Dent. 2018; 9 (3): 372—375. PMID: 30166829
- Bernardi S., Bianchi S., Continenza M.A., Macchiarelli G. Frequency and anatomical features of the mandibular lingual foramina: systematic review and meta-analysis. Surg Radiol Anat. 2017; 39 (12): 1349—1357. PMID: 28616681
- Thangavelu K., Kannan R., Kumar N.S., Rethish E., Sabitha S., Sayeeganesh N. Significance of localization of mandibular foramen in an inferior alveolar nerve block. J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2012; 3 (2): 156—60. PMID: 23225978
- Bhardwaj D., Kumar J.S., Mohan V. Radiographic evaluation of mandible to predict the gender and age. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014; 8 (10): ZC66—9. PMID: 25478451
- Feuerstein D., Costa-Mendes L., Esclassan R., Marty M., Vaysse F., Noirrit E. The mandibular plane: a stable reference to localize the mandibular foramen, even during growth. Oral Radiol. 2020; 36 (1): 69—79. PMID: 30945083
- Poonacha K.S., Shigli A.L., Indushekar K.R. Relative position of the mandibular foramen in different age groups of children: a radiographic study. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2010; 28 (3): 173—8. PMID: 21157049
- Cantekin K., Sekerci A.E., Miloglu O., Buyuk S.K. Identification of the mandibular landmarks in a pediatric population. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2014; 19 (2): e136—41. PMID: 24121905
- Lim M.Y., Lim W.W., Rajan S., Nambiar P., Ngeow W.C. Age-related changes in the location of the mandibular and mental foramen in children with Mongoloid skeletal pattern. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2015; 16 (5): 397—407. PMID: 25894248
- Movahhed T., Makarem A., Imanimoghaddam M., Anbiaee N., Sarrafshirazi A.R., Shakeri M.T. Locating the mandibular foramen relative to the occlusal plane using panoramic radiography. Journal of Applied Sciences. 2011, 11 (3): 573—578. DOI: 10.3923/jas.2011.573.578
Downloads
Received
November 26, 2024
Accepted
April 1, 2025
Published on
July 5, 2025




