Abstract
The purpose of this study was to clarify the influence of the mutual growth and development of the maxillary sinus and infraorbital canal on the formation of the maxillofacial region according to the volume of the maxillary sinus and infraorbital canal during the neonatal period, deciduous period, and permanent dentition, and their volume ratio to the nasal cavity. The samples were dried Indian skulls from the Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Dental College. Three groups were selected according to tooth eruption status : neonate, deciduous (Hellman’s dental age stage ⅡA), and permanent (Hellman’s dental age stage ⅣA). After multi-slice CT imaging, three-dimensional reconstruction was performed, and the mean and SD in each group were calculated by volumetric measurement of each of the maxillary sinus and infraorbital canal. In the early stages of growth and development immediately after birth, both the maxillary sinus and infraorbital canal begin to grow gradually. However, with the eruption of teeth, the volume of the maxillary sinus in particular increases markedly, expanding throughout the maxillary body as if pushing the infraorbital canal into the infraorbital wall. These findings collectively suggest that the growth of the maxillary sinus plays a significant role in maxillofacial development.
