BRITISH JOURNAL OF ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY, vol.59, no.2, pp.179-183, 2021 (SCI-Expanded)
The aim of this study was to determine the course of marginal mandibular nerve (MMN) in relation to the inferior border of the mandible from the gonion until its terminal insertion to the depressor anguli oris, relating the position to a palpable anatomical landmark with emphasis on the depth of the nerve in relation to platysma and the deep cervical fascia. Twelve fresh adult cadavers were dissected and the mandibular base was contoured using needles with 5 mm gaps, starting from the mandibular angle to the muscular termination point of the nerve bilaterally. The distance between the MMN and the mandibular base and total length of the nerve was measured bilaterally. The highest levels of MMN were measured 6.9 mm and 6.5 mm above, and the lowest levels were measured 4 mm and 3 mm below the mandibular base on right and left sides, respectively. The mean (SD) total length of the nerve until the muscular termination point was calculated 33.57 (3.41) mm on the right and 33.51 (4.88) mm on the left side. Previous publications that we had read all fell short of defining the schematic pathway of the nerve, as the described landmarks were of a combination of bone and soft tissue, which are not always clinically reliable. We have overcome this difficulty by standardising the inferior border of the mandible as a point in order to trace the marginal mandibular branch pathway. It originates along the gonion and ends at the second premolar tooth area. (C) 2020 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.