EVALUATION OF AVERAGE DISTANCE FROM MANDIBULAR CANAL TO THE ROOT APICES, CEMENTO-ENAMEL JUNCTION & ALVEOLAR CREST OF MANDIBULAR MOLARS IN COASTAL ANDHRA POPULATION.

The inferior alveolar nerve is the major sensory branch of the posterior trunk of the mandibular nerve which is the anatomical landmark of particular interest to Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons, reporting of injuries to the inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle following minor and major surgeries. These accidental injuries may occur because of poor knowledge of the precise location of mandibular foramen, mandibular canal and the course of mandibular neurovascular bundle. This study was done to determine the average position of the mandibular canal in relation to mandibular molars using the OPG in vertical plane. The study was conducted on 150 patient OPGs in our institution in which, 72 were females and 78 males to assess and evaluate the distance from root apices, Cemento-enamel junction at the midline of mesio-distal diameter of the tooth and alveolar crest to the Inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle of 1st, 2nd and 3rd molars on both sides of mandible in both genders of coastal Andhra population.