Prevalence of Different Types of the Bifid Mandibular Canal and its Relationship with the Position and Width of the Main Canal in the Panoramic Radiographs

Background and Objectives: The presence of bifid mandibular canals are among the anatomical variations in the inferior mandibular canals. Lack of attention to these canals can lead to complications, such as anesthesia and bleeding during dental treatments. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of bifid canals and its relationship with the position and width of the main canal in the population-based panoramic radiographs in Qom, Iran.   Methods: This analytical-descriptive, cross-sectional, and retrospective study investigated 2415 panoramic radiographs of 1320 females and 1095 males (age range: 18-86 years) who refereed to Dentistry School and Salamat Clinic in Qom, Iran, during 2019. The radiographs were evaluated regarding the presence of bifid mandibular canals on the right and left as well as canal width and distance using Scanora software. The data were analyzed in SPSS software through descriptive statistics (i.e., frequency, mean±SD) and analytical statistics (i.e., Chi-square, independent t-test, and Mann-Whitney test). A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.   Results: According to the results, the prevalence of the bifid mandibular canal was observed in 64 (2.6%) cases. Moreover, three (0.1%) individuals had bilateral bifid mandibular canals; therefore, the total number of the bifid mandibular canals was estimated at 67 cases. Furthermore, type 2 bifid mandibular canals were the most common type. In addition, the presence of bifid mandibular canals had no significant relationship with age, gender, width, and distance to the inferior border of the mandible.   Conclusion: The presence of bifid mandibular canal in panoramic images had no significant relationship with age, gender, width, and distance to the inferior border.