Alexandru Nemtoi, Ana Elena Sirghe, Ana Nemtoi , Bogdan Dobrovat ,Roxana Popescu, Danisia Haba
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomy of the nasopalatine canal in a Romanian population using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) technology.
Materials and Methods: CBCT images of 37 Romanian adult patients were included in this study.. The CBCT equipment used was Planmeca Promax 3D Mid (Planmeca OY, Helsinki, Finland). Scanning was performed by selecting an field of view (FOV) and the following exposure parameters: kV, mA, seconds and voxel size depending on the patient’s age. The length, shape, diameter and the volume were analyzed.
Results: Of all canals assessed, 9 were hourglass-shaped, 21 were cylindrical-shaped, 5 were funnel-shaped on the coronal sections; 19 were cylindrical-shaped, 5 were funnel-shaped, 10 were hourglass-shaped and 1 banana-shaped on sagital sections; 9 were heart-shaped, 3 were lacrimal-shaped, 3 were ovalar-shaped and 26 were circular-shaped on axial sections.
Conclusion: Within the limits of this study, we conclude that in Romanian patients, the shape of the nasopalatine canal is variable.