Topography of the infraorbital foramen in human skulls originating from different time periods.

BACKGROUND: The infraorbital foramen (IOF) is present on the maxilla under the infraorbital margin. Its identification is essential in various surgical procedures. The main aim of this study was the morphometric assessment of the position of the right and left infraorbital foramina in relation to specific structural elements of the facial skeleton, their width and direction, and also the determination of the location of these foramina above maxillary teeth in examined male skulls (belonging to European populations) dated to the beginning of the 20th century and the medieval and post-medieval period. This aim concerned also the assessment of the symmetry of the examined foramina (their location and size). An additional goal was to determine differences between the cranial samples concerning the analyzed traits.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The six metric and two non-metric traits concerning the IOF were collected from the male cranial samples including modern skulls (n = 87), the medieval and post-medieval skulls (from 13th centuries and 15-17th centuries, respectively; n = 47) obtained from archaeological excavations in Wroclaw, and the sample of the medieval skulls (11-13th centuries, n = 100) from Sypniewo. The sex and age of the specimens were determined using the standard methodology. The appropriate statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS: Significant differences were established for three traits (taken from the left and right side) in the case of modern skulls (diameter of IOF, its distance to the midline, and zygomaticomaxillary suture) and one in the case of medieval skulls from Sypniewo (distance to the midline). In all of the cranial samples IOF most frequently occurred above the first upper molar. The greater diameter of IOF and its shorter distance to the alveolar crest and nasal notch were observed in non-modern skulls compared to modern skulls.

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide new additional data on the topography of IOF and its asymmetry, confirm the presence of both geographical and chronological differences between populations, and can be used in dental practice, and forensic odontology in the analysis of archaeological bone materials.