IADR Abstract Archives
Morphologic Measurement of the Anterior Canaliculus of the Petrotympanic Fissure
Objectives: Temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) and the malleus in tympanic cavity are anatomically connected: The discomallear ligament (DML) is an anatomical continuity of the posteromedial portion of the disc and reaches the malleus passing through the anterior canaliculus (AC) of the Petrotympanic fissure. Civinini F. firstly reported such canaliculus in 1830, nevertheless until today very few data exist to describe its morphology. The aim of this investigation is to precisely define the morphological features of this anatomical structure in human skulls analyzed with a cone beam CT (CBCT).
Methods: 198 intact human skulls (Section of Anthropology and Ethnology, Museum of Natural History, Florence, Italy) were selected to perform the analysis. They were part of two homogeneous populations of people deceased in the first half of the XIX century respectively from Siracusa (n. 56) and Florence (n. 142). A high-resolution 3D radiographic CBCT (Scanora 3D, Soredex, Kavo, Germany) was used to scan the skulls and obtain 3-dimensional digital reconstructions. A dedicated analysis software (OnDemand3d, Cybermed Inc, Korea) was used to measure the diameter of 396 canals at three different sections: a) The anterior - TMJ side; 2) the most constricted point of the canal; 3) the posterior – internal ear side.
Results: The AC appears to have an hourglass shape. The anterior diameter measured in average 1.957 (±0.485) mm; the narrowest point measured in average 0.495 (±0.244) mm; the posterior diameter measured in average 1.091 (±0.363) mm. 4.76% of the canals (n. 18) resulted ossified.
Conclusions: An anatomical connection exists between human TMJ and the middle ear and it passes through the AC, which presents the morphology described in this study. The speculation of a functional connection has been proposed but further investigation is necessary to confirm these findings by using well-designed clinical studies.
Methods: 198 intact human skulls (Section of Anthropology and Ethnology, Museum of Natural History, Florence, Italy) were selected to perform the analysis. They were part of two homogeneous populations of people deceased in the first half of the XIX century respectively from Siracusa (n. 56) and Florence (n. 142). A high-resolution 3D radiographic CBCT (Scanora 3D, Soredex, Kavo, Germany) was used to scan the skulls and obtain 3-dimensional digital reconstructions. A dedicated analysis software (OnDemand3d, Cybermed Inc, Korea) was used to measure the diameter of 396 canals at three different sections: a) The anterior - TMJ side; 2) the most constricted point of the canal; 3) the posterior – internal ear side.
Results: The AC appears to have an hourglass shape. The anterior diameter measured in average 1.957 (±0.485) mm; the narrowest point measured in average 0.495 (±0.244) mm; the posterior diameter measured in average 1.091 (±0.363) mm. 4.76% of the canals (n. 18) resulted ossified.
Conclusions: An anatomical connection exists between human TMJ and the middle ear and it passes through the AC, which presents the morphology described in this study. The speculation of a functional connection has been proposed but further investigation is necessary to confirm these findings by using well-designed clinical studies.