Morphological evaluation of the nasopalatine canal in patients with different facial profiles and ages

Publication date: Available online 6 December 2018

Source: Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Author(s): Eliana Dantas da Costa, Yuri Nejaim, Luciano Augusto Cano Martins, Priscila Dias Peyneau, Gláucia Maria Bovi Ambrosano, Matheus Lima Oliveira

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the influence of the facial profile and age on the morphology of the nasopalatine canal.

Methods

132 volumes of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) were classified according to the facial profile – mesofacial, brachyfacial and dolichofacial – and divided into the following age groups: 21-30, 31-40, 41-50 and 51-60 years. Measurements were obtained from the opening of the incisive and nasopalatine foramina, alveolar bone thickness, and full length, most constricted region and volume of the nasopalatine canal. Intra- and inter-examiner agreement was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient. After the exploratory and descriptive analysis, data were subjected to two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test for comparisons between the facial profiles and age groups. The significance level was 5% (α=0.05).

Results

Intra- and inter-examiner reproducibility was excellent for all measurements. Patients older than 51 years presented significantly greater volume of the nasopalatine canal than patients aged between 21 and 30 years, for all facial profiles (p≤0.05). Linear measurements obtained from the nasopalatine canal showed no significant difference between facial profiles and age groups (p>0.05).

Conclusion

The nasopalatine canal proved not to be influenced by the facial profile, but showed increased volume with aging, particularly after 50 years of age.

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