Estimation of the position of mental foramen and its relation to lower premolars and base border of the mandible during aging

Background : The mental foramen is located in the apical region of the mandibular premolars but it have some variations regarding its distance to both lower premolars and the base border of the mandible that may make a problem especially for the oral surgeon in his work during operations like implantation, so, our study was done to estimate the position of the mental foramen and its relation to the lower premolars and the base border of the mandible by the aid of digital panoramic radiographs. Material and method : The sample of this study was collected from patients who attended AL-Karama specialized center for dentistry. Forty five patients were selected in this study with the age range between 21-50 years that divided into three groups according to special criteria. Forty five digital views (OPG) were taken for Iraqi patients, using computerized digital panoramic x-ray machine. All radiographs were examined and then the position of the mental foramen for each patient was estimated. Results and conclusion : The results revealed that the mental foramen is most commonly located below the apex of the 2nd premolar in all age groups used in this study, and the distance between the mental foramen and the base border of the mandible is indirectly proportional with age.