Journal of Dental Medicine

Background and Aims: Ponticulus posticus is a bony anomaly in the atlas vertebra that may have significant clinical implications, particularly when extreme head movements are required during treatment. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of ponticulus posticus in different types of skeletal malocclusions in the population from northern Iran.

Materials and Methods: In this observational-analytical study, 246 lateral cephalometric radiographs of eligible individuals referred to two oral and maxillofacial radiology centers in Babol, northern Iran, in 2021, were included using convenience sampling and evaluated. Skeletal classification was determined using the ANB angle and Wits analysis. The presence of ponticulus posticus was evaluated across different skeletal classes, genders, and age groups. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test in SPSS software with a significance level set at 0.05.

Results: Among the total sample, ponticulus posticus was observed in 104 cases (42.3%), of which 62 cases (25.2%) were of the partial type and 42 cases (17.1%) were of the complete type. The prevalence of this anomaly was significantly higher in males than in females (P<0.001). However, there was no statistically significant association between the presence of ponticulus posticus and skeletal class (P=0.222) or age group (P=0.483).

Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicated that ponticulus posticus was a relatively common anomaly, with a higher prevalence in males, and therefore should be taken into consideration. However, this anomaly neither appear to be a result of age-related calcification, nor can be used as a predictive indicator for determining skeletal class type.