Abstract
The pterygopalatine fossa is a pyramidal shaped fossa located between the infratemporal fossa and the nasal cavity. The major contents include the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve, the pterygopalatine ganglion, and branches of the 3rd part of the maxillary artery. The fossa is very difficult for students to visualize in textbooks and the gross laboratory. The increasing use of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in dentistry has increased the ability of dental clinicians to visualize anatomical structures in multiple dimensions. The purpose of this study was to develop a 3D learning resource of the pterygopalatine fossa using CBCT for dental students. Anonymized CBCT files were selected from a series of patients with normal anatomy. All of the scans had been performed at 0.3 mm resolution and were reconstructed using Osirix version 3.9.2 in axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. Digital images of a dry skull specimen and cadaveric dissection of the pterygopalatine fossa were collected using a Canon Powershot ELPH 100 HS. Final Cut version 10.0 was used to create a multimedia learning resource. A multimedia learning resource for the pterygopalatine fossa was created using CBCT videos, CBCT images, cadaver photographs, and skull photographs. The CBCT videos and images incorporated axial, sagittal, and coronal planes of the pterygopalatine fossa. Labeled and unlabeled cadaver and dry skull specimen photographs were utilized. Audio was integrated to explain the clinical relevance of the anatomy of the pterygopalatine fossa. This learning resource provides dental students a tool to augment their understanding of the anatomy of the pterygopalatine fossa.