Evaluation of the sella turcica shape in lateral cephalometric radiographs in relation to skeletal class I, class II, and class III occlusion: a single-center cross-sectional study

Background and aims: The sella turcica shape is crucial for orthodontic diagnosis, as its variations can indicate underlying pathologies or craniofacial abnormalities. This study aimed to evaluate the shape of the sella turcica in lateral cephalometric radiographs across skeletal Class I, II, and III occlusions.Methods and material: This prospective study analyzed lateral cephalometric radiographs of 300 patients aged 15 and older who visited an Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Clinic between 2009 and 2012. The patients were divided into three groups based on skeletal occlusion (Class I, II, III) using the ANB angle. Sella turcica shapes were classified into six categories according to Axelsson's criteria: normal shape, oblique anterior wall, double contour of the floor, sella turcica bridge, irregularity in the posterior part of the sella turcica, and pyramidal shape of the dorsum sellae. Two maxillofacial radiologists evaluated the radiographs. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test in SPSS software (version 25) with a significance level set at p < 0.05.Results: The normal shape of the sella turcica was observed in 58% of Class I, 53.68% of Class II, and 52.12% of Class III occlusion cases, with an overall prevalence of 54.6%. No significant association was found between occlusion type and sella turcica shape (P = 0.269).Conclusion: In conclusion, the normal shape of the sella turcica was the most prevalent in this study, followed by irregularity and the oblique anterior wall shapes. No significant association was observed between the sella turcica shape and skeletal occlusion types (Class I, II, and III).