lingual foramen

lingual foramen

A small midline opening on the lingual (internal) surface of the mandible above the pair of small bony protuberances called the genial tubercles. A single artery, the anastomoses of two branches of the lingual artery, passes into this foramen.

Synonym: genial foramen

See also: foramen

lin·gual for·a·men

(linggwăl fōr-āmĕn)

Small opening in the bone of mandible located at the midline on inside surface of mandible that permits passage of mandibular nerve. Radiographically, it appears as a round, radiolucent spot below the apices of the mandibular incisors.