Evaluation of the relationship of sella turcica interclinoid process distance with malocclusion and pathologies using cone beam computed tomography

Sella Turcica is the depression area of the sphenoid bone, located in the middle cranial fossa, protecting the pituitary gland. The shape and profile (linear widths) of Sella Turcica are detailed in the literature. It has been stated that the interclinoid measurements in sagittal, axial and coronal planes are associated with orthognathic pathologies and malocclusions. We aimed to make measurements using cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT), a three dimentional imaging modality, to calculate the precise distances between the anterior and posterior processes of Sella Turcica, and to establish correlations between these anatomic measurements and associated pathologies. Our study population consisted of patients presenting to Istanbul University School of Dentistry's Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, in between 2016-2019, for the diagnosis and/or treatment planning of various dentofacial deformities. Sella Turcica bridging (clinoid bridging) has only been studied in the literature using lateral cephalometric evaluations. Our study is planned on the basis of the hypothesis that measurements would be much more precise and accurate using CBCT. According to this plan, the distances between the anterior and the posterior clinoid processes of Sella Turcica were measured using CBCT and compared with cephalometric analysis. According to the results of our study, the distance of the posterior clinoid process was found to be statistically significantly longer in male patients. In addition, clinoid bridging was classified as right, left or bilaterally.