Avaliação da densidade mineral das suturas palatina mediana e zigomaticomaxilar em diferentes faixas etárias por tomografia computadorizada de feixe cônico

Abstract

This cross-sectional observational qualiquantitative study evaluated and compared the mineral density in midpalatal and zigomatic-maxilar sutures in different ages using cone beam computerized tomography. It was analyzed 72 cone beam computerized tomography skull exams from individuals within 10 and 40 years old, without any kind of malformation or bone pathology and that had never been submitted to orthodontic or maxillary orthopedic treatment. Images were separated in age groups: group 1 – from 10 to 15 years; group 2 – from 16 to 20 years; group 3 – from 21 to 25 years; group 4 – from 26 to 30 years; group 5 – from 31 to 35 years; and, group 6 – from 36 to 40 years. Midpalatal suture was analyzed in axial section and zigomatico-maxilar suture by panoramic reconstruction in all individuals. To calibrate de operator it was used Pearson’s correlation test and variance analysis (ANOVA) (p = 0,018). In order to obtain the results it was applied the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and the Levenne test using 5% significance level. Regarding gender, it was not found statistically significant differences between individuals in the evaluated parameters. Density values in interest regions of right and left zigomatic-maxilar sutures were statistically higher than density values in the same regions of the midpalatal suture in groups 3, 4, 5 and 6 (p < 0,001). In all sutural sites of the images analyzed, both in midpalatal suture and in right and left zigomatic-maxilar sutures, sutural mineral density was inferior to adjacent bone area density, suggesting that a typical ossification process have not occurred. Midpalatal suture showed low density values, comparing to adjacent bone areas, in all ages evaluated, which seems consistent with its functions. High rates of density found in zigomatic-maxilar sutures of the tomographic images of individuals between 20 and 40 years old, comparing to values seen in the midpalatal suture, suggests that it may be one of the factors that change the clinical behavior of the upper jaws during conservative maxillary expansion in adults.