Influence of nasal septum deviation on fluctuating asymmetries of the nasomaxillary complex: A cross‐sectional study

An important parameter in diagnostic analysis and treatment planning of different biological areas is facial symmetry, and several etiological factors have been attributed to skeletal facial asymmetry. Although causality cannot be determined, previous studies have reported a relationship between the anatomical deviation of the nasal septum and facial development. Diagnosis is critical for patients in growth stages due to the association between nasal septum deviation (NSD) and abnormal growth of the nasomaxillary complex. To understand this relationship, this study aimed to investigate the influence of nasal septum deviation on fluctuating asymmetries (FA) of the nasomaxillary complex at different stages of skeletal maturation. Another goal was to determine whether an association exists between the degrees of septal deviation severity and asymmetry of the nasomaxillary complex. This was a retrospective, cross‐sectional observational study comprising 60 selected cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans that were divided into four groups (n = 15) according to the degree of septal deviation and skeletal maturation: mild deviation (MD;