What is the recommended minimum safety distance between a dental implant apex and the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN)?

The classically recommended minimum safety distance between the apex of a dental implant and the mandibular canal (containing the inferior alveolar nerve) is 2 mm. This standard was established by Misch and Crawford and has been widely accepted in implant dentistry literature. Maintaining this 2 mm safety zone, when measured on panoramic radiographs, has been shown to result in 0% incidence of neurosensory alterations. With cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), some authors suggest 1 mm may be sufficient due to more accurate three-dimensional measurement, but the 2 mm recommendation remains the standard teaching for examination purposes.