The anterior loop of the inferior alveolar nerve within the mentonian foramen: a scoping review

The aim of this study is to delineate the safety zone concerning the anteriorization of the AL and correlate it with the behavior of the AL, analyzing its feasibility.

Adhering to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) manual guidelines, both the protocol and this review were conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. MeSH terms, combined with free terms, were utilized to search for articles in the following databases: Embase, LILACS, LIVIVO, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and grey literature.

Fifteen articles were select following the eligibility criteria. An average safe zone of 4.75 mm in humans was observed, with a prevalence 60.8% and average anterior length of the AL of 2.09 mm in humans.

The AL has varied patterns across different populations, then, it could not be asserted a 100% safe zone. Preoperative analysis of the AL with CBCT is always necessary. While it could be stated that a safe zone should be employed as an inviolable region, stipulated measures of a safe zone should be regarded as an area of greater attention in preoperative planning.