Cephalometric Evaluation Of The Size And Morphology Of Sella Turcica In Different Types Of Malocclusion Among Romanian Subjects

Abstract

Introduction: The vertical and sagital position of the maxilla and mandible is influenced by the size and the angulation of the cranial base. Sellae turcica is part of the cranial base. It is located in the middle cranial fossa. Thus, the growth and the development of this bony structure are influenced by neural and general skeletal pattern as well. Cephalometric analysis is an important part of orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. From numerous cephalometric landmarks, the S- sellae point is commonly used to describe the cranial base. Also, it is used to evaluate other bony structures’ position towards it. Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the shape and the dimension of the sellae turcica in different types of malocclusions. Materials and Methods: 136 randomly selected lateral cephalometric radiographs were analyzed. Also, skeletal and facial pattern was identified and the shape and sagital dimension of the sellae was measured. Results: Statistical analysis presented no significancy regarding sellae’s shape in different types of malocclusion. However, the skeletal class II cases presented the most anarchic sellae shapes. Comparing linear measurements of skeletal length and sellae diameter, we found that the smallest diameter of the sellae appears in class III malocclusions. Thus, other skeletal length presents the lowest mean values also. Statistically significant differences among maxillary, mandibular, and cranial base length and sellae diameter were found in class I malocclusion (p=0.013). Conclusions: Sella morphology appears to have certain correlation with cranial and jaw base length and jaw base relationship in skeletal Class I Romanian population