A morphological study of the multi-posterior superior alveolar canals of maxilla in the Japanese macaque by cone-beam computed tomography.

The posterior superior alveolar canal (PSAC) composed of several canals which contains vessels and nerve in molar region of the maxilla of Japanese macaque. The PSAC of maxilla run to the maxillary sinus. However, the PSAC and accessory canal (AC) of the maxilla in the Japanese macaque (JM) is unknown in morphological features in the maxilla. The purpose of this study was to describe the PSAC of the primates and to determine whether this structure could be used as a model for the human clinical condition. In this study, we showed the course of PSAC structure of the 23 JMs (male: n = 15; female: n = 8) using a cone-beam computed tomography apparatus. In the results, we classified a type to have one AC toward, a type to have two ACs toward, and three ACs in a type to have in PSAC. The main canal have some bony branch canals (BBCs) composed of 3 types (no BBC, one BBC, two BBCs). These canals and they run downward and supply to MS, these roots of maxillary molar region of the craniofacial skeleton in contrast to numerous small accessory canals with no nerve and vessels observed in the posterior regions in maxilla. These morphology features may give useful information about MS in dental treatment human model.