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Identification of double mandibular canals: literature review and three case reports with CT scans and cone beam CT

¹ LAPP, PACEA, UMR 5199 CNRS, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence Cedex, France; ² Department of Odontology and Buccal Health, Saint André Hospital, University Victor Ségalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux Cedex, France; ³ Scanner Department, Saint-Augustin Clinic, Bordeaux Cedex, France

*Correspondence to: P Rouas, Department of Odontology and Buccal Health, University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, 16–20 cours de la Marne, 33082 Bordeaux Cedex, France; Email: p.rouas{at}anthropologie.u-bordeaux1.fr

Received 11 October 2005; revised 26 January 2006; accepted 23 February 2006

Objectives: The aim of this study is to describe three rare cases of double mandibular canals identified using three-dimensional imaging techniques and to discuss how frequently this variation occurs.

Methods: A review of the current literature is presented and the study methods are discussed. Three hitherto unpublished cases of double mandibular canals are presented and described, two of them observed by CT scans and the third by cone beam CT (CBCT). They were identified from a pool of more than 6000 mandibular CT scans and CBCT images. These examinations were carried out in the context of pre-implant analyses in the mandible area.

Results: Mandibular canals can be detected on panoramic radiographs. However, as confusion is possible when using two-dimensional images, it is only with tomographic imaging that some of these distinctive features can be identified. The case revealed by CBCT is the only one reported in the literature to date using this means of identification.

Conclusions: The presence of bifid mandibular canals is very rare, yet it is important to recognize this anatomical variation in any surgical procedures involving the lower jaw and its presence can only be confirmed by volumetric imaging.

Keywords: duplicated; mandibular canal; CT scan; cone beam CT