Supraorbital Notch/Foramen, Infraorbital Foramen and Mental Foramen in Thais: Anthropometric Measurements and Surgical Relevance
Wandee Apinhasmit DDS, PhD*, Supin Chompoopong MS, PhD**, Dolly Methathrathip DDS*, Roengsak Sansuk**, Wannapa Phetphunphiphat**
Affiliation : * Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University ** Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University
Objective : To determine the morphology and the locations of the SupraOrbital Notch/Foramen (SON/F),
InfraOrbital Foramen (IOF), and Mental Foramen (MF) relative to frequently encountered surgical land-
marks.
Materials and Methods : One hundred and six Thai adult skulls were investigated.
Results : Mean horizontal widths of SON, SOF, IOF and MF were 4.31 (cid:31) 1.61 mm, 2.81 (cid:31) 0.62 mm, 3.35 (cid:31) 0.62
mm and 2.80 (cid:31) 0.70 mm, respectively. The SON/F was situated 25.14 (cid:31) 4.29 mm lateral to the nasal midline,
26.57 (cid:31) 3.92 mm medial to the temporal crest of the frontal bone and 3.15 (cid:31) 1.29 mm superior to the supraor-
bital rim. The IOF was 28.43 (cid:31) 2.29 mm lateral to the maxillary midline, 9.23 (cid:31) 2.03 mm below the infraorbital
rim and 2.15 (cid:31) 1.67 mm medial to the zygomaticomaxillary suture. Mean vertical distances from the IOF to the
SOF and to occlusal plane of the upper teeth were 44.95 (cid:31) 2.96 mm and 42.52 (cid:31) 3.89 mm, respectively. The IOF
was frequently found in the same vertical line with the second upper premolar and its usual direction of
opening pointed downward medially. The MF was a mean of 28.52 (cid:31) 2.15 mm lateral to the symphysis menti
and most commonly observed in line with the second lower premolar. Its usual direction of opening was in a
posterosuperior direction.
Conclusion : The results of the present study may assist surgeons to localize important maxillofacial neurovas-
cular bundles passing through these foramina in facilitating surgical, local anesthetic and other invasive
procedures.
Keywords : Supraorbital notch/foramen, Infraorbital foramen, Mental foramen, Surgical landmark, Thais
