Assessing the Prevalence and Morphological Characteristics of Bifid Mandibular Canal Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography – A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence, location and configuration of bifid mandibular canals so as to avoid injury to the nerve and inadequate anesthesia during surgical procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CBCT scan of 203 patients (125 males and 78 females) was evaluated for the presence and the type of the bifid mandibular canal. They were classified according to Nortje et al. The prevalence rates were determined according to gender, location, and type of bifid mandibular canal. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS software version 24. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of bifid mandibular canals was found to be 10.3% with 12.8% in males and 6.4% in females. The Chi-square test reveals there is a statistically significant difference between the different locations of bifid mandibular canals and most of the canals were present on the right side. The most frequent type of bifid mandibular canal observed was type II dental canal (38.1%), followed by type III forward canal (28.6%), type I retromolar canal (14.3%), and type IV buccolingual canal (14.3%). CONCLUSION: CBCT is suggested for a detailed evaluation and identification of bifid mandibular canals before any surgical procedures to avoid post-operative complications.