Morphological evaluation of the incisive canal with reference to gender and age: A cone-beam computed tomography study.

Abstract

The incisive canal (IC) is an important anatomical structure in the premaxilla that should be considered during many dental procedures. The objective of this study is to associate the IC morphology and dimensions with reference to gender and age by means of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). A retrospective study was conducted using archived CBCT records of patients who sought treatment at the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. OnDemand 3D Imaging software was utilized in image reconstruction and measurement determination. The parameters evaluated were the IC shape and dimensions in a sagittal and coronal view at two levels: palatal opening and nasal opening. The variables were compared according to age and gender using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Kruskal Wallis tests. Confidence level was obtained at P < 0.05. Out of the 370 CBCT images assessed, only 100 images fulfilled the inclusion criteria; 50 males and 50 females. No substantial variance in IC shapes was found in both the sagittal and coronal perspectives with reference to age and gender. Likewise, there was no statistical variation in IC dimensions with reference to age. On the other hand, there was a statistical difference in IC length when correlated with gender as the male subjects had longer IC as compared to females (P < 0.01). There is no association between IC morphology, age and gender. However, substantial variation in IC length was observed between genders.