Abstract

Background: The infraorbital foramen is situated in the maxilla and it conveys infraorbital nerve and vessel, the knowledge of its morphometry and variations is therefore mandatory to do therapeutic infraorbital nerve block or any clinical procedures.

Aims & Objective: To study the gender wise morphometry of infraorbital foramen and its laterality in dry adult skulls of south Indian population.

Materials and Methods: In the present study we examined 100 infraorbital foramina and measured its distance with bony features adjacent to it and the shape, presence of accessory foramina were analysed in relation to gender. The infraorbital foramen was the landmark from which the distance between the following bony structures were examined; Nasion (NAS), Zygomatico-maxillary suture (ZMS), Anterior nasal spine (ANS), and the distance between the inferior orbital rim(IOR) to optic canal (OC), infraorbital foramen IOF), inferior and superior orbital fissure (IF & SF). The average mean and standard deviation were calculated for every measurement. Paired t – test was used to compare the parameters between sides and gender for each measurement.

Results: The most common shape of infraorbital foramen found in the present study is oval (39%) followed by semilunar (27%). Round shaped foramen was found in 22% of skulls, triangle shaped foramen was found in 12% and accessory foramina were present in 11% of the skulls. In the present study, we found triangle shaped foramen in 12% skulls and also the number of accessory foramina was found to be higher which emphasise the need to take ethnicity into account as triangle shaped foramen is unique in south Indian population as affirmed by previous authors.

Conclusion: The results show significance with respect to gender and side which makes the knowledge of its morphometry obligatory for clinical procedures.

Key words: Infraorbital Foramen; Infraorbital Nerve Block; South Indian Population; Accessory Foramina