Evaluation of nasopalatine canal anatomical structure using computed tomography

Since accurate knowledge of the morphological structure and variations of the canalis nasopalatinus (CNP) contributes to reducing the risk of complications in implant placement and other surgical interventions, it was aimed to examine the morphological features of the CNP in detail using the computerized tomography (CT) method. This study was conducted on the CT images of the head and neck region of 100 healthy adult individuals (50 females, 50 males) aged between 25-55 who applied to the Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Çukurova University in 2024 for any reason. The measurements were repeated three times by the same researcher and evaluated with the supervision of an expert radiologist. The individuals included in the study were required to have no bone disease, trauma history, congenital anomalies or impacted teeth. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the SPSS package program. Statistical significance level was accepted as p<0.005. According to the statistical analysis results, the CNP length was found to be statistically significantly longer in male individuals compared to female individuals (p<0.005). No significant difference was observed between women and men in other measurement parameters. The study also observed that demographic factors such as age and gender may create differences in the anatomical structure of the CNP. The findings obtained show that accurate evaluation of the CNP during implant planning can increase surgical success and reduce the risk of complications. The use of advanced imaging techniques allows for safer surgical planning by ensuring accurate detection of individual variations. This study revealed that age and gender factors have a significant effect on the morphological structure of the nasopalatine canal. It was determined that the CNP length was longer, especially in male individuals. We believe that detailed evaluation of the CNP anatomical structure in dental implantation and maxillary surgeries is of critical importance in terms of preventing complications and increasing surgical success.