Moving toward patient specificity for devising cone-beam computed tomography field-of-views: A normative maxillary skeletal dimensional analysis

Background: A lack of evidence exists comprehensively assessing skeletal dimensions in a Caucasian population group at different ages. Aim: To provide age-and gender-specific normative skeletal dimensional measurements of the maxillary region using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging. Design: Cone-beam computed tomography images of Caucasian patients were acquired and divided into different age groups ranging from 8 to 20 years. Linear measurements were taken to evaluate seven distance-based variables, which included anterior nasal spine-posterior nasal spine (ANS-PNS) distance, bilateral maxillary first molar's central fossae (CF) distance, palatal vault depth (PVD), bilateral palatal cementoenamel junction (PCEJ) distance, bilateral vestibular CEJ (VCEJ) distance, bilateral jugulare distance (Jug) and arch length (AL). Results: A total of 529 patients (243 male, 286 female) were selected. ANS-PNS and PVD showed the highest change in dimensions from 8 to 20 years of age. On the contrary, AL had the least variability in all age groups. Male patients had larger dimensions and showed a significant change in all dimensional measurements (p <.001) than female patients. Conclusion: The maxillary linear dimensions varied across different age groups. The presented maxillary normative data could serve as a reference guide for devising patient-specific CBCT field of views.

Automated summary

This study provides normative skeletal measurements of the maxillary region in a Caucasian population at different ages using cone-beam computed tomography. Results show that ANS-PNS and PVD have the highest dimensional changes from 8 to 20 years of age, while AL demonstrates the least variability. Male patients have larger dimensions and show significant changes in all dimensional measurements compared to female patients.