The thickness and the lengths of the anterior wall of adult maxilla of the West Anatolian Turkish people

The maxilla is the key structure on facial formation and stability. The knowledge about maxillary thickness and dimensions is crucial during facial reconstruction including this bone. In this study, anthropometric measurements of anterior wall of the maxilla on the dry human skulls were aimed. Sixty maxillae of 30 adult dry skulls of West Anatolian people were evaluated. Four vertical lines were drawn between the piriform aperture and lateral border of the bone and six horizontal lines between the infra-orbital margin and the inferior border of the piriform aperture. After establishing the lines, maxillary thicknesses on the intersection points of the vertical and horizontal lines and the lengths of the vertical lines from the infra-orbital margin to alveolar arch were measured by using a fine caliper. It was found that the thickest point of the anterior wall of the maxillae is on the lateral of the infra-orbital margin (5.17 +/- 2.27 mm), and thinnest one is on the inferior of the infra-orbital foramen (0.92 +/- 1.06 mm). The length of the vertical line tangent to piriform aperture (47.66 +/- 3.61 mm) is the longest. The corresponding data of the left and right maxillae were compared by Student's t test. There was no significant difference between both sides. After collecting the data, a thickness map of anterior wall of the maxilla was drawn. This data may be helpful in clinic during osteotomies, bone reconstructions, screw, or other reconstruction apparatus applications on the maxilla.