Canalis Sinuosus Mimicking Periapical Pathology on, Radiographic Assessment

Abstract

The canalis sinuosus is an anatomical variation whereby the infraorbital canal sometimes generates a small, lateral branch (canal) close to its midpoint, to allow the passage of the anterior superior alveolar neurovascular bundle in the anterior maxilla. This article focuses on an incidental finding of this variant, in a 74-year-old Trinidadian female of Afro-Caribbean descent with an endodontic presenting complaint. The canalis sinuosus shadow on conventional radiography resulted in uncertainty as to the offending tooth until a 3-dimensional scan was undertaken in this region. This report will discuss the implications of the presence of this canal from radiologic, endodontic, and surgical perspectives.