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Volume 16
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10.3390/diagnostics16050779
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Systematic Review

Clinical Implications of the Localization and Morphological Variability of the Mental Foramen—A Systematic Review

by
Mariola Krzykawska-Krupska
1,
Janusz Pach
1,*,
Piotr Regulski
1,
Jacek Tomczyk
2,
Izabela Strużycka
3,
Kazimierz Szopiński
4,
Katarzyna Osipowicz
5,6 and
Anna Pogorzelska
4
1
Digital Imaging and Virtual Reality Laboratory, Department of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Binieckiego St. 6, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
2
Institute of Biological Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, Wóycickiego St. 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
3
Department of Comprehensive Dentistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Binieckiego St. 6, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
4
Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Binieckiego St. 6, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
5
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Infant Jesus Clinical Hospital, Koszykowa St. 82a, 02-008 Warsaw, Poland
6
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Kalisz, Nowy Świat St. 4, 62-800 Kalisz, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Diagnostics 2026, 16(5), 779; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16050779
Submission received: 10 January 2026 / Revised: 22 February 2026 / Accepted: 23 February 2026 / Published: 5 March 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Achievements in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology)
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Abstract

Background: The mental foramen is a key anatomical structure of the mandible through which the mental nerve and accompanying vessels emerge. Accurate knowledge of its location and morphology is essential for safe dental and surgical procedures in the anterior mandible. Objective: This study was conducted as a systematic review to summarize current evidence on the morphology, localization, and anatomical variants of the mental foramen and their clinical relevance. Methods: The PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched for studies published between 2015 and 2025 in accordance with current systematic review guidelines. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) studies and anthropological investigations assessing the position, dimensions, and anatomical variants of the mental foramen were included. Results: Thirty-five studies (30 CBCT-based and 5 anthropological) comprising a total of 6240 mandibles or patients were analyzed qualitatively. Considerable variability was observed in the horizontal and vertical position of the mental foramen in relation to mandibular borders and dental landmarks. Anatomical variations included differences in size and shape, the presence of unilateral or bilateral accessory mental foramina, and rare cases of unilateral or bilateral absence of the foramen. Conclusions: The synthesis of recent CBCT and anthropological data across diverse populations highlights clinically relevant patterns of variability. This study identifies key positional patterns and variants of the mental foramen, which can inform clinical planning and help reduce the risk of mental nerve injury.
Keywords: mental foramen; anatomical variation; cone-beam computed tomography; mental nerve; diagnostic imaging mental foramen; anatomical variation; cone-beam computed tomography; mental nerve; diagnostic imaging

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MDPI and ACS Style

Krzykawska-Krupska, M.; Pach, J.; Regulski, P.; Tomczyk, J.; Strużycka, I.; Szopiński, K.; Osipowicz, K.; Pogorzelska, A. Clinical Implications of the Localization and Morphological Variability of the Mental Foramen—A Systematic Review. Diagnostics 2026, 16, 779. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16050779

AMA Style

Krzykawska-Krupska M, Pach J, Regulski P, Tomczyk J, Strużycka I, Szopiński K, Osipowicz K, Pogorzelska A. Clinical Implications of the Localization and Morphological Variability of the Mental Foramen—A Systematic Review. Diagnostics. 2026; 16(5):779. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16050779

Chicago/Turabian Style

Krzykawska-Krupska, Mariola, Janusz Pach, Piotr Regulski, Jacek Tomczyk, Izabela Strużycka, Kazimierz Szopiński, Katarzyna Osipowicz, and Anna Pogorzelska. 2026. "Clinical Implications of the Localization and Morphological Variability of the Mental Foramen—A Systematic Review" Diagnostics 16, no. 5: 779. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16050779

APA Style

Krzykawska-Krupska, M., Pach, J., Regulski, P., Tomczyk, J., Strużycka, I., Szopiński, K., Osipowicz, K., & Pogorzelska, A. (2026). Clinical Implications of the Localization and Morphological Variability of the Mental Foramen—A Systematic Review. Diagnostics, 16(5), 779. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16050779

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