Retromolar Foramina and Canals in the Human Mandible

There is a high frequency of accessory foramina and canals in the mandible (14, 15). In recent years, their occurrence in the retromolar region has been described in several studies. LOFGREN (4) would seem to have been the first to describe the foramina retromolaria mandibulae in man. In three different medieval Scandinavian materials, he found foramina retromolaria in about 12 % of the individuals. In modern materials, the occurrence of accessory canals has been studied in different ways. By the stereo-orthopanthomographic examination of dry mandibles, TAMMISALO (16) established that there was a high frequency of canals in the retromolar region. By arteriography, OIKARINEN (6) demonstrated the presence of vascular branches in about 33 % of the retromolar regions he examined. In dissection material from Argentina, retromolar canals occurred in about 70 0/ 0 of the individuals (11).