Assessment of the Canalis Sinuosus Using CBCT in Pathological Lesions

Objective: To assess the canalis sinuosus (CS) in pathological lesions located in the anterior maxilla using CBCT.
Methods: In total, 104 lesions in the anterior maxilla were assessed. The localisation of CS termination points on the alveolar crest was evaluated. Subsequently, the consistency of the CS and CS–lesion relationships were determined based on the maximal diameter of the lesion and the presence of a cortical perforation.
Results: Of the 104 lesions, 82 (78.8%) exhibited at least one CS. The presence of CS was statistically significantly different based on the diameter of the lesion (P 0.001). When the presence of CS was investigated in relation to cortical perforation status, a significant difference was observed (P 0.05). Anatomically, CS was most common in the central incisor and ended most frequently near the crest apex vertically and in the palatal region horizontally. Among the instances of CS, 55.3% were lesion-related, 22.3% were in contact and 23 (22.3%) were unrelated to the lesion.
Conclusion: The incidence of CS was high in anterior maxillary pathological lesions and even higher in small-sized pathological lesions. Most CSs were located within or next to the surgical margin of the pathological lesion.