Inferior alveolar canal
The Inferior alveolar canal is located within the internal aspect of the mandible and contains the inferior alveolar nerve, artery and the vein. It starts at the mandibular foramen, on the lingual side of the ramus, continues on buccal surface of body of the mandible and ends at the mental foramen, adjacent to the second mandibular premolar tooth 1).
The general principles of anatomical terminology indicate that the “mandibular canal” should be named the “inferior alveolar canal” as it accommodates the inferior alveolar neurovascular bundles. Therefore, Iwanaga et al. from the Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, performed a Delphi method to evaluate the current understanding and use of the terminology in different geographical regions and areas of expertise and to determine the appropriate terminology for this bony canal.
A Delphi panel was formed and questions sent and answered via email about: field of expertise (anatomy, oral surgery/oral and maxillofacial (OMF) surgery, oral radiology/OMF radiology, plastic surgery, ENT surgery, or dentistry with the exception of oral/OMF surgery and oral/OMF radiology), years of experience in the field of expertise, country currently working in, “what is the name of the bony canal that contains the inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle,” and “what should the structure above be called, in general?”
A total of 52 participants responded to the questionnaire. Half or more of the experts in anatomy, oral/OMF surgery, and ENT/Plastic surgery considered “mandibular canal” to be the most appropriate name for this bony canal. In contrast, more than half of all experts in oral/OMF radiology and dentistry, i.e., most fields of dentistry, considered “either mandibular canal or inferior alveolar canal” to be the appropriate name.
The results of the Delphi study and general principles suggest that an alternative term for the “mandibular canal” should be “inferior alveolar canal.” 2)