Examination of craniofacial parameters in Turkish males with golden ratio in piriform aperture size

Abstract

Background/Aim: Piriform aperture, an anatomical structure usually in the form of a pear, is created by the maxilla and nasal bone. The shape and width of PA have significant effects on nasal breathing and are also aesthetically important. In the present study, it was aimed to reveal normal morphometric values by evaluating the craniofacial parameters of young Turkish male cases at the piriform aperture with the help of computerized tomography. Methods: A total of six craniofacial parameters were examined from the 3-dimensional computerized tomography reconstruction images of 103 young adult male cases with golden ratios between the ages of 21 and 30 years. Three indices were calculated from these craniofacial parameters and nine parameters were evaluated. The cases were divided into four groups according to the ratio of the piriform aperture. The descriptive values for the data obtained from craniofacial parameters and indices were calculated as mean and standard deviation. In terms of measurements, the differences between the groups were examined with ANOVA analysis. Results: In our study, there were five cases in the 1st group, 39 cases in the 2nd group, 38 cases in the 3rd group, and 19 cases in the 4th group. Two cases were not included in any of the groups. Significant differences were detected between the groups in terms of maximum cranial width, bizygomatic width, nasal width and upper face index parameters (P<0.05). Conclusion: Differences were detected between the groups in which craniofacial parameters of all male cases were examined. In the inter-group examination, the craniofacial parameters of only a few cases fit the golden ratio fully. For this reason, we recommend examining the identifying values of the craniofacial parameters of more faces on which the piriform aperture is fully compatible with the golden ratio.