Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Anatomy and Variations of the Submandibular Fossa

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Anatomical Variations in Clinical Dentistry

  • 1572 Accesses

Abstract

The submandibular fossa is a concavity in the lingual part of the mandibular body, inferior to the mylohyoid line, in the lower molar region, where part of the submandibular gland is situated. Around the submandibular fossa are many anatomical structures implicated in implant surgery, salivary calculus, and static bone cavity. Therefore, dentists need a thorough understanding of the surgical anatomy in the area of the submandibular fossa to preclude complications including hemorrhages, nerve injuries, ductal strictures, and perforation of the lingual cortical bone. In this chapter, the anatomy and its variations in the area of the submandibular fossa are reviewed and clinical considerations are described.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Amano O (2011) The salivary gland: anatomy for surgeons and researchers. Jpn J Oral Maxillofac Surg 57:384–393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amano O, Mizobe K, Bando Y et al (2012) Anatomy and histology of rodent and human major salivary glands: overview of the Japan salivary gland society-sponsored workshop. Acta Histochem Cytochem 45:241–250. https://doi.org/10.1267/ahc.12013

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Assaf AT, Solaty M, Zrnc TA et al (2014) Prevalence of Stafne’s bone cavity–retrospective analysis of 14,005 panoramic views. In Vivo 28:1159–1164

    Google Scholar 

  • Bavitz JB, Harn SD, Homze EJ (1994) Arterial supply to the floor of the mouth and lingual gingiva. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 77:232–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowen MA, Tauzin M, Kluka EA et al (2011) Diagnostic and interventional sialendoscopy: a preliminary experience. Laryngoscope 121:299–303. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.21390

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Souza LA, Souza Picorelli Assis NM, Ribeiro RA et al (2016) Assessment of mandibular posterior regional landmarks using cone-beam computed tomography in dental implant surgery. Ann Anat 205:53–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aanat.2016.01.006

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harry S, DuBrul EL (1988) Sicher and DuBrul’s oral anatomy, 8th edn. IshiyakuEuroAmerica, St. Louis; Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • He P, Truong MK, Adeeb N et al (2017) Clinical anatomy and surgical significance of the lingual foramina and their canals. Clin Anat 30:194–204. https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.22824

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herranz-Aparicio J, Marques J, Almendros-Marqués N et al (2016) Retrospective study of the bone morphology in the posterior mandibular region. Evaluation of the prevalence and the degree of lingual concavity and their possible complications. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal 21:e731–e736

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hofschneider U, Tepper G, Gahleitner A et al (1999) Assessment of the blood supply to the mental region for reduction of bleeding complications during implant surgery in the interforaminal region. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 14:379–383

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hölzle FW, Wolff KD (2001) Anatomic position of the lingual nerve in the mandibular third molar region with special consideration of an atrophied mandibular crest: an anatomical study. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 30:333–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalpidis CD, Konstantinidis AB (2005) Critical hemorrhage in the floor of the mouth during implant placement in the first mandibular premolar position: a case report. Implant Dent 14:117–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalpidis CD, Setayesh RM (2004) Hemorrhaging associated with endosseous implant placement in the anterior mandible: a review of the literature. J Periodontol 75:631–645

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karube T, Yasui T, Onizawa K et al (2016) A long-term followed-up case of a developing lingual bone defect associated with the sublingual gland. Jpn J Oral Maxillofac Surg 62:299–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kawai T, Sato I, Yosue T et al (2006) Anastomosis between the inferior alveolar artery branches and submental artery in human mandible. Surg Radiol Anat 28:308–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim DH, Kim MY, Kim CH (2013) Distribution of the lingual foramina in mandibular cortical bone in Koreans. J Korean Assoc Oral Maxillofac Surg 39:263–268. https://doi.org/10.5125/jkaoms.2013.39.6.263

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mason ME, Triplett RG, Alfonso WF (1990) Life-threatening hemorrhage from placement of a dental implant. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 48:201–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mendes MB, de CarvalhoLeite Leal Nunes CM, de Almeida Lopes MC (2014) Anatomical relationship of lingual nerve to the region of mandibular third molar. J Oral Maxillofac Res 4:e2. https://doi.org/10.5037/jomr.2013.4402

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mordenfeld A, Andersson L, Bergström B (1997) Hemorrhage in the floor of the mouth during implant placement in the edentulous mandible: a case report. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 12:558–561

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nahlieli O, Shacham R, Bar T et al (2003) Endoscopic mechanical retrieval of sialoliths. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 95:396–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakajima K, Tagaya A, Otonari-Yamamoto M et al (2014) Composition of the blood supply in the sublingual and submandibular spaces and its relationship to the lateral lingual foramen of the mandible. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 117:e32–e38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oooo.2012.03.032

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paulsen F, Waschke J (2011) Sobotta atlas of human anatomy -head, neck, and neuroanatomy, 15th edn. Urban & Fischer, Munich

    Google Scholar 

  • Peuker ET, Fischer G, Filler TJ (2001) Entrapment of the lingual nerve due to an ossified pterygospinous ligament. Clin Anat 14:282–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salinas-Goodier C, Manchón A, Rojo R et al (2016) Prevalence and location of accessory foramina in the human mandible. Oral Radiol 32:72–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanomiya Ikuta CR, Paes da Silva Ramos Fernandes LM, Poleti ML et al (2016) Anatomical study of the posterior mandible: lateral lingual foramina in cone beam computed tomography. Implant Dent 25:247–251. https://doi.org/10.1097/ID.0000000000000387

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stafne E (1942) Bone cavities situated near the angle of the mandible. J Am Dent Assoc 29:1969–1972

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolman DE, Stafne EC (1967) Developmental bone defects of the mandible. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 24:488–490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uchida Y, Goto M, Danjo A et al (2012) Anatomic measurement of the depth and location of the sublingual fossa. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 41:1571–1576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijom.2012.03.015

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Uchida Y, Goto M, Danjo A et al (2015) Anatomical relationship between the sublingual fossa and the lateral lingual foramen. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 44:1146–1151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijom.2015.04.004

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walvekar RR, Razfar A, Carrau RL et al (2008) Sialendoscopy and associated complications: a preliminary experience. Laryngoscope 118:776–779. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLG.0b013e318165e355

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang YM, Ju YR, Pan WL et al (2015) Evaluation of location and dimensions of mandibular lingual canals: a cone beam computed tomography study. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 44:1197–1203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijom.2015.03.014

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Williams PL, Warwick R, Dyson M et al (1989) Gray’s anatomy, 37th edn. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, pp 1290–1298

    Google Scholar 

  • Witt RL, Edkins O (2017) Sialolithiasis: traditional & sialendoscopic techniques. The open access atlas of otolaryngology, head & neck operative surgery

    Google Scholar 

  • Witt RL, Iro H, Koch M et al (2012) Minimally invasive options for salivary calculi. Laryngoscope 122:1306–1311. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.23272

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yildirim YD, Güncü GN, Galindo-Moreno P et al (2014) Evaluation of mandibular lingual foramina related to dental implant treatment with computerized tomography: a multicenter clinical study. Implant Dent 23:57–63. https://doi.org/10.1097/ID.0000000000000012

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, NTT Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan

    Yosuke Harazono

Authors
  1. Yosuke Harazono
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA

    Joe Iwanaga

  2. Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA

    R. Shane Tubbs

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Harazono, Y. (2019). Anatomy and Variations of the Submandibular Fossa. In: Iwanaga, J., Tubbs, R. (eds) Anatomical Variations in Clinical Dentistry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97961-8_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97961-8_13

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-97960-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-97961-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation