Purpose: The aim of this article is to investigate the potential risk of a critical life-threatening hemorrhage due to the perforation of the lingual cortical plate and arterial trauma of the terminal branches of the sublingual artery. In fact, in many cases, implants are placed in the mandibular interforaminal region, and this area is also often involved in oral surgery as a bone donor site.
Materials and methods: One hundred dry skull Caucasian mandibles and 100 computed tomographies (CTs) of the mandible of Caucasian patients were examined. The entrances of the lingual vascular canals were analyzed. Positions and dimensions of the entrances are reported.
Results: In 80% of the dry skull mandibles, at least 1 lingual canal was found, and the CT scan detected the presence of at least 1 lingual vascular canal in up to 60% of patients.
Conclusions: A CT examination should routinely be performed before any surgical approach to the interforaminal region.