Human‐Baron, ReneProcos, AlexanderUys, Andre2025-11-212025-11-212025-02Human-Baron, R., Procos, A. & Uys, A. 2025, 'An anatomic study of the lingual nerve and associated branches', Clinical and Experimental Dental Research, vol. 11, art. e70051, pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70051.2057-434710.1002/cre2.70051http://hdl.handle.net/2263/105418DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : Data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.OBJECTIVES : The aim of the study was to investigate the course and anatomy of the lingual nerve (LN) to minimize the risk of iatrogenic damage during dental procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS : The LN was dissected in 25 cadavers (dentulous and edentulous). The intersection of the LN and submandibular duct (SMD), the bifurcation location from the mandibular nerve, the branching patterns of the main trunk, and the number of terminal branches were recorded. RESULTS : In dentulous females, LN distances to the third, second, and first molars were 11.46 ± 2.51, 15.50 ± 5.24, and 18.75 ± 5.91 mm, while in dentulous males, they were 10.98 ± 1.27, 15.75 ± 2.61, and 19.65 ± 4.50 mm, respectively. For edentulous mandibles, all distances were shorter compared to the dentulous group. In 39.13%, the LN passed superior to the SMD. The LN is bifurcated above the mandibular notch in all cases. The number of branches entering the tongue ranged from 2 to 9, with a Type 1 branching pattern found to be the most prevalent. ] CONCLUSIONS : The study incorporated both dentulous and edentulous cadavers from a South African population. The findings hold significance for surgical procedures, providing valuable insights into minimizing potential damage.en© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.Lingual nerveMandibular molarsSubmandibular duct (SMD)Article