Tags: Anatomical Structure.
A mental spine is a small projection of bone on the posterior aspect of the mandible (lower jaw bone) in the midline. The adjective mental in this instance is used in its chin-related sense (from Latin mentum) rather than its more common mind-related sense (from Latin mens). There are usually four mental spines: two superior and two inferior. Collectively they are also known as the genial tubercle genial apophysis and the Latin name spinae mentalis.
