title: Analysis of the greater palatine foramen in a Lebanese population using cone-beam computed tomography technology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to describe the diameter and the position of the greater palatine foramen (GPF) in relation to adjacent anatomical landmarks in the maxilla in a Lebanese population using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) technology.
  
  
  METHODS
  CBCT images of 58 Lebanese adult patients were included in this study and a total of 116 GPF were evaluated bilaterally. The diameter of the GPF and its position relative to the maxillary molars, and distances to the midline maxillary suture and to the anterior nasal spine were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all foramina assessed, 41.38% were located opposite to the third molar, 29.31% were distal to it, 27.59% were between the second and the third, and only 1.72% were opposite to the second. The average diameter was 5.633 mm on the right and 5.723 mm on the left, and the average distances to midline maxillary suture and anterior nasal spine were 16.228 mm and 48.294 mm on the right and 14.907 mm and 48.122 mm on the left, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limits of this study, we conclude that in Lebanese patients, the GPF location is variable, very rarely opposite to the second molar, and more closely related to the third, but may present mesial or distal to it in one-fourth of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Diagnosis, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Fundamental Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aoun
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nasseh
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Sayde
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sokhn
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Lebanese University, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saadeh
keywords: Cone-beam computed tomography; Lebanese population; greater palatine foramen