Prevalence and associations of sella turcica bridging and cervical vertebral anomalies in lateral cephalometric radiographs: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of sella turcica bridging (STB), ponticulus posticus, and posterior arch deficiency of the atlas on lateral cephalometric radiographs in an orthodontic population, and to evaluate their associations with age, gender, and the presence of dental anomalies.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted using lateral cephalometric radiographs and orthopantomograms (OPGs) of 400 orthodontic patients (261 females, 139 males) aged 7-48 years. Sella turcica bridging was assessed by measuring the sella turcica length and the greatest anteroposterior diameter and classifying the degree of bridging based on their ratio. Ponticulus posticus and posterior arch deficiency were assessed through visual inspection on lateral cephalometric radiographs. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, Spearman's correlation, and multivariable regression analyses.

RESULTS

Partial and complete STB were present in 39.8% and 14.5% of patients, respectively. Ponticulus posticus was identified in 30.3%, while posterior arch deficiency was observed in 9.8% of the included subjects. Sella turcica bridging was associated with ponticulus posticus, most notably for complete bridging patterns (p < 0.001). In adjusted analyses, female gender was independently associated with partial STB (p = 0.004), and age showed a weak inverse association with partial ponticulus posticus (p = 0.009). No significant associations were observed between these incidental findings and dental anomalies (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Incidental cephalometric findings were found to be relatively common in orthodontic patients. Routine screening for these structures is recommended, as their detection may prompt further evaluation of otherwise unexplained cervical or neurological manifestations.