title: Prevalence and Morphologic Characteristics of Ponticulus Posticus: Analysis Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the prevalence and morphologic characteristics of ponticulus posticus (PP) by using cervical 3-dimensional (3-D) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan images.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study conducted by selecting cervical 3-D CBCT images of 698 patients, which were examined for the presence and types of PP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 257 patients, 438 PPs, complete or partial, bilateral or unilateral, were identified on the 698 cervical 3-D CBCT scans; therefore, the prevalence was 36.8%. Bilateral complete PP and partial PP were observed in 6.3% and 16.2% of subjects, respectively. There was a significant difference in the prevalence between males and females (P = .001) and between the right and left sides between males and females, but not between age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ponticulus posticus is a relatively common anomaly in this Turkish sample, which may have implications for those who perform clinical procedures on the upper cervical spine.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet Ercan
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sekerci
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Gaziosmanpasa University, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emrah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soylu
authors.affiliation: Physicist, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehtap Payveren
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Arikan
authors.affiliation: Research Assistant, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gozde
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozcan
authors.affiliation: Research Assistant, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amuk
authors.affiliation: Research Assistant, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kocoglu
keywords: Cervical atlas; Spine; Tomography