The mylohyoid muscle plays an important role in chewing, swallowing, respiration and phonation, being the mylohyoid nerve also closely related to these important functions. It has been postulated that the mylohyoid nerve might have a role in the sensory innervation of the chin and the lower incisor teeth while the role of the mylohyoid nerve in the mandibular posterior tooth sensation is still a controversial issue. Although variations in the course of the mylohyoid nerve in relation to the mandible are frequently found on the dissecting room, they have not been satisfactorily described in the anatomical or surgical literature. It is well known that variations on the branching pattern of the mandibular nerve frequently account for the failure to obtain... |