Alveolar branches of canalis sinuosus: a radiographic and morphometric assessment by cone beam computed tomography

Evaluation of the alveolar branches of the canalis sinuosus (ABCS) to analyze its features and determine whether it is a variation or anatomical structure.

ABCS was assessed retrospectively from the ramification site to the end of its trajectory using cone-beam computed tomography, considering the sex, age, and voxel size of the images. Descriptive analysis, Chi-square test, Fisher-Freeman-Halton's exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Pearson and Spearman rank correlations were used for statistical analysis.

A total of 167 ABCS were identified in 82 (72.6%) of 113 individuals. An ABCS wider than 1 mm was observed in 32.7% of individuals. The presence or number of ABCS was independent of age and sex (P˃0.05). The ramification site of the ABCS from the main canal was 96.4% below the nasal cavity floor, mostly at the level of the central incisors (46.1%). A significant difference was defined between the origin and end of the ABCS trajectory (P < 0.000). The end of the ABCS trajectory as vestibulo-palatal was 44.9% buccal and 35.9% palatal surface of the bone. The voxel sizes of the images were negatively correlated with the number of ABCS per individual (P = 0.002).

ABCS is more likely to be an anatomical structure than an anatomical variation, but many are less than 1 mm in diameter.