Asymmetry of Human Skull Base During Growth Asimetría de la Base de Cráneo Durante el Crecimiento

SUMMARY: Knowledge about human skull asymmetry in normal dry specimens is useful as a parameter for medical and dentistry practice. Skull base was investigated with the objective to validate the method of indirect measurement with digital pictures and to evaluate the degree of asymmetry from human skull base in different ages. We analyzed 176 normal identified human skulls, divided by age in the following groups: Fetuses, newborn, children and adults. Measures were taken from a central point: pharyngeal tubercle and 4 lateral points: foramen ovale, foramen spinosum, carotid canal and stylomastoid foramen using digital biometry after a comparative validation with directed method performed with caliper. Results were presented as asymmetry indexes and data were expressed as percentage. The digital method presented validity in relation to the direct method with caliper. The skulls in all age groups presented asymmetry. The smallest asymmetry index was 2.6 % and the largest 6.6%. In the literature, there are no patterns for defined values of asymmetry in normal skulls. The asymmetry of the foramina related to midline was verified in the whole sample and was considered as normal corresponding to an average asymmetry index of 4%. In this study we also observed that in most of the measures there was prevalence of the right side over the left side