Deepika Chenna¹, Mamatha Hosapatna¹, Antony Sylvan D’Souza¹, Srikanth Gadicherla², Kalyana Chakravarthy Pentapati^3,

Aim: To evaluate the role of lingula and antilingula as landmark to guide the oral surgeons. Methods: A total of 50 mandibles (100 sides) were available for evaluating the lingula and antilingula. Four measurements (W, X, Y and Z) were recorded for the mandibular foramen, lingula and antilingula in 2 planes (horizontal and vertical) by single trained calibrated examiner. Results: Only 52 sides had palpable antilingula, hence the comparisons with respect to antilingula and mandibular foramen were done for only 52 sides. The mean values measured were significantly lower for lingula with respect to Y and W points while it was significantly higher with respect to X and Z points when compared to mandibular foramen. Antilingula also showed similar trend when compared to mandibular foramen. Conclusion: Lingula can be used as landmark to avoid the mandibular foramen to perform ramus osteotomies. Antilingula if palpable can be used as supplementary landmark for the same. With respect to both the landmarks, mandibular foramen is located posterioinferiorly.

foramen, lingual, antilingula, mandible, Sagittal split ramus osteotomy