The typical variability of the pterygomaxillary fissure depending on shape of facial skull

The aim of this study was to determine the types of the concomitant variability of pterygomaxillary fissure and of the shape of the facial skull. The material included 156 passported skulls of adults (21-90 years) from scientific cranial collection of the museum of the human anatomy department at Saratov State Medical University (Saratov, Russia). Craniometric studies were carried out by means of method with using of the dividers for measuring transverse dimensions with a millimeter scale and by technical calipers. Linear sizes of pterygomaxillary fissure and facial skull were examined. It was revealed that typical variability of pterygomaxillary fissure depended on sexual identity and side position of the fissure in a skull. Correlations of facial skull shapes were peculiar to each type of pterygomaxillary fissure. Middle and thin-faced skulls conjoin with narrow-high and middle types of the pterygomaxillary fissure; middle and broad-faced skulls conjoin with widely-low type of fissure.