Mean Distance of Mental Foramen from Inferior Border of Mandible among Patients Visiting the Outpatient Dental Department in a Tertiary Care Centre

INTRODUCTION: Among many anatomical landmarks in the human skull, the mental foramen is a stable landmark on the mandible. The diverse morphology of the mandible indicates the specific characteristics of such anatomical structures in each individual. The aim of this study was to find out the mean distance of mental foramen from the inferior border of the mandible visiting the Outpatient Dental Department in a tertiary care centre. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients undergoing orthopantomogram in the Outpatient Dental Department of a tertiary care centre from 3 February 2022 to 31 July 2022. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee. The patients with complete dentition in the region of measurements were included in the study. A convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval. RESULTS: Among 207 patients, the mean distance from the inferior border of the mandible to the lower border of the mental foramen was 11.83±1.83 mm (11.58-12.07, 95% Confidence Interval). CONCLUSIONS: The mean distance of mental foramen from the inferior border of the mandible was found to be similar to other studies done in similar settings.