title: Evaluation of Morphology and Anatomical Measurement of Nasopalatine Canal Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Precise radiographic assessment of the nasopalatine canal is required to prevent implant failure. The purpose of the current study was to determine the three dimensional (3D) morphology, as well as the dimensions of the nasopalatine canal using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this descriptive cross-sectional study, maxillary CBCT images from 300 patients (150 men, 150 women) were retrospectively evaluated. Sagittal and coronal views were reviewed to determine the nasopalatine canal morphology and dimensions. The difference in canal dimensions between men and women was evaluated using the Student's t-test while the difference in canal morphology between the two sexes was assessed using Chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 199 (66.3%) patients had type A canal (cylindrical without a branch), 69 (23%) had type B canal (a canal with a branch in the upper part), and 32 (10.7 %) had type C canal (a canal with a branch in the middle part). Incisive foramen diameter was 4.7±1.11mm on the sagittal section. Alveolar bone width in the anterior part of the canal was 12.3±1.7mm in the upper one third, 10.7±1.7mm in the middle one third, and 9.8±1.4mm in the lower one third. The angle of canal with palate was 109.5±5.7°. On the coronal sections, canal length was 14.1±3.0mm, incisive foramen diameter was 4.6±1.0mm, and canal diameter in the nasal floor was 5.1±1.0mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences in canal morphology were observed among the patients and CBCT was useful in determining nasopalatine canal morphology and its dimensions before implant placement.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Head of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Panjnoush
authors.affiliation: Dentist, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamideh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Norouzi
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Yasaman
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kheirandish
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Community Oral Health, Dental Research Center, Dentistry Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Shamshiri
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Niloufar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mofidi
keywords: Anatomy; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; Dental Implants; Maxilla