radiomorphometric analysis of greater palatin foramen using cone beam computed tomography in patients reffered to radiology deparment of tabriz university of medical sciences in 2015-2017

Abstract

Summary Introduction: regarding the importance of knowing the exact location the greater palatine foramen for accurately performing local anesthetization and trying not to damage this nerve in palatine surgeries and different location of this foramen in different populations, and also lack of related studies in Iran, this goal of this research is performing a morphometric study on greater palatine foramen in the population of Tabriz city by using CBCT. Method: in this descriptive study, a morphometric evaluation was performed on CBCT images of greater palatine foramen in people referring in the period of 94-96 based on their age and gender. The images were prepared by VGi Cone Beam CT Newtom (Verona, Italy) device in oral and maxillofacial radiology ward in faculty of dentistry of Tabriz University of medical sciences. In this research, four landmarks including the location relative to maxilla molars, the distance from anterior nasal spine (ANS), the distance from the maxilla median regions of palate, and the diameter of the foramen were evaluated. At the end, statistical analysis of the data was done by SPSS 16 software. Results: the results of our study showed that the highest frequency of greater palatine foramen relative to the right and left maxilla molars was related to mesial and distal levels of the third molar. Also, the results of our study showed that there was a different between the average diameter the greater palatine foramen to ANS in the two sides. This difference was reported as statistically significant (P ˂ 0.05). Also, the results of the comparison between the average distance of greater palatine foramen from ANS and MMS in men and women in our study indicated that a significant difference is observed only in the right side (P ˂ 0.05). Discussion and conclusion: these studies will help the clinical specialists to find the location of greater palatine foramen relative to the second and third molars, ANS, and MMS in different patients, and so, they will not face any problem during injecting block anesthesia. Keywords: grater palatine foramen, CBCT, distal level of the third molar, ANS.