Mental fossa is?

• A. A hollow on the ramus
• B. A bony depression on the anterior mandible between the alveolar ridge and the mental ridge.
• C. A canal near canine
• D. A ridge on the mandible for muscle attachment

Answer: (B)

The mental fossa is a shallow depression on the outer (buccal) surface of the anterior mandible. It sits between the alveolar ridge, which carries the teeth, and the mental ridge (the chin). This concave area helps give the chin its smooth, curved contour and provides space for the overlying soft tissues. That’s why the correct description is a bony depression on the front part of the mandible between the tooth-bearing ridge and the chin ridge. It isn’t a hollow on the ramus, a canal near the canine, or a raised ridge for muscle attachment, which is why those other options don’t fit.