Assessment of the morphology of soft palate by using cone-beam computed tomography

Abstract

Background: Soft palate is an anatomical structure that helps modify the quality of voice and breath while swallowing. In patients with cleft palate, obstructive sleep apnea, oral submucous fibrosis, and skeletal craniofacial malocclusions, soft palate dysfunctions are frequently seen. Knowing the soft palate's morphological variations thus helps us to assess and manage such patients better. Aims: To assess the morphology of the Soft Palate in Cone-Beam Computed Tomography in different age and gender groups and to find its association with: Need's ratio, Velar Length, Width, and Pharyngeal Depth in different morphological velar types. Methods and Material: The study sample consisted of 60 patients aged 20-50 years. Patients who underwent Cone Beam Computed Tomography scans of the whole maxilla (16X16 FOV) were taken up for the study. Measurements and Interpretation of Velar Length, Width, and Pharyngeal Depth were made. Results: A statistically significant correlation was observed in Velar width with an R-value of 0.04. An increase in velar width was noted with an increase in age. Leaf shape soft palate was the more prevalent type, followed by rat tail and butt shape. In male patients, the velar length and pharyngeal depth were significantly greater compared to female patients. Conclusion: By knowing different types of the soft palate and all the variations in the parameters as the reference, the dental surgeon can plan any invasive surgical procedure related to velopharyngeal dysfunctions better and avoid any complications arising from velopharyngeal dysfunctions.