Study of the anatomical characteristics of accessory nasopalatine canals using cone beam CT in a Senegalese population

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine the morphological characteristics of accessory nasopalatine canals in a Senegalese population using cone beam computed tomography.Materials and Methods: The study included 198 Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) evenly distributed between the sexes. The CBCT were taken from the records of the dento-maxillofacial radiology department of the Institute of Odontology and Stomatology in Dakar. Accessory nasopalatine canals were studied on different image reconstructions using Carestream’s CS 3D Imaging. Visibility, shape, and buccal position in relation to the anterior teeth were studied. Statistical analysis was descriptive. Results: Analysis of the CBCT images showed 68% visibility of accessory nasopalatine canals. Morphologically, they mainly took three forms: curved (52%), vertical (15%), and Y-shaped (1%). In terms of location, 42% of cases were unilateral and 26% bilateral. The most common buccal opening site was between the central incisor and lateral incisor (51%), followed by the lateral incisor (10.5%) and canine (6.5%). No significant gender-related differences were found. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that accessory nasopalatine canals exhibit considerable variation in terms of prevalence, shape, location, and opening site.