Is the course of the inferior alveolar nerve deducible from the shape of the mandible?

In a predominant amount of cases in orthodontics and orthognathic surgery, from the removal of wisdom teeth or cysts up to osteotomies, two-dimensional imaging is the first, and often the only method of the diagnostic process. However, without knowing the exact course of the mandibular nerve, the risk of an unintended lesion during an intervention is considerably high. This becomes even more relevant with an increasing number of cases, and complications, in dental implantology and orthognathic surgery. Hence, three-dimensional imaging such as cone beam tomography or DVT is increasingly employed. Within this study we are going to analyze the three-dimensional courses of the mandibular nerves statistically, aiming to provide knowledge about the potential course of the mandibular canal for two-dimensional imaging, thus extending diagnostics and therapy planning in dento-maxillofacial surgery or dental implantology.