The Lateral Lingual Foramen: A Structure to Consider in Planning in Implantology and Oral Surgery.

Abstract

For decades, dental diagnosis and treatment planning were based on 2-dimensional imaging techniques, which had respective limitations. Currently, cone bean tomography can provide detailed information about maxillofacial structures and describe anatomical variations with greater precision. Nowadays, 3-dimensional presurgical planning in oral surgery and implantology are essential to achieve optimal esthetic and functional results in inpatient treatments. Another benefit of adequate and precise digital planning is the reduction of transoperative and postoperative complications derived from injuries to existing anatomical structures in the area to be operated on. Complications related to mandibular anatomical structures, such as the mental foramen and the lower dental canal, are relatively easy to predict. However, some structures, such as the lingual and lateral lingual foramen, are less common yet must be considered when treatment planning.2 Placing dental implants in the anterior mandible is a relatively safe and common procedure. The incidence of surgical...