Inferior alveolar nerve and artery

A branch of mandibular nerve, it enters the mandibular foramen on the medial aspect of the ramus above the lingula and exits on the lateral aspect of the mandibular body at the mental foramen which may be located between the premolars or at the apex of the 2^nd  premolar. In the molar region, the inferior alveolar nerve divides into mental and incisal branches. The mental nerve and blood vessels exit through the distal half of the mental foramen dividing into three branches, anterior, middle and posterior unless it has an anterior loop which goes anterior to mental foramen, then loops back to exit from mesial aspect of mental foramen. The incisal branch runs anteriorly in the incisive canal and can be felt at mesial aspect of mental foramen.