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Evaluation of the validity of mental foramen USG measurements by comparison with CBCT and determination of blood flow

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Abstract

Objectives

To examine mental foramen (MF) morphology and morphometry in comparison with ultrasonography (USG) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and to determine the relationship between mental artery blood flow parameters and age, gender, dental status, alveolar crest height, mandibular cortical index (MCI) with USG.

Methods

A total of 120 MF and mental arteries of 60 patients (21 males and 39 females), including 20 patients in each group, aged 18–39, 40–59, and 60 years and above, were evaluated. The horizontal and vertical diameter of the MF and the distance between it and the alveolar crest were evaluated with USG and CBCT. In addition, mental artery blood flow parameters were examined by USG.

Results

When the horizontal diameter values of MF were compared in USG and CBCT measurements; the diameter was significantly lower in the measurements obtained by USG (p < 0.05). It was observed that there were no mental arteries whose blood flow could not be recorded, 31 (25.8%) had strong blood flow and 89 (74.2%) had weak blood flow. No significant correlation was observed between gender and blood flow parameters (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Considering that CBCT images are used as gold standard in our study, it may be said that USG is not as reliable as CBCT in evaluating the MF dimensions in the maxillofacial region. Nevertheless, USG is a suitable technique for determining the visualizing and blood flow of the MF.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Sutcu Imam University, Onikisubat, 46050, Kahramanmaras, Turkey

    Aslihan Artas

  2. Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Health and Technology University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Eda Didem Yalcin

Authors
  1. Aslihan Artas
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  2. Eda Didem Yalcin
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Correspondence to Aslihan Artas.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008.

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Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

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Artas, A., Yalcin, E.D. Evaluation of the validity of mental foramen USG measurements by comparison with CBCT and determination of blood flow. Oral Radiol 39, 699–707 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-023-00687-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-023-00687-6

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