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Is the buccal compartment a masticatory space extension or an anatomic space in itself? Evidence based on medical images and human cadaver dissection

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Abstract

Objectives

According to some authors, the buccal space is incompletely closed with no real anatomical separation from the masticator space, and also has no fascial limit toward the cranial and caudal regions. However, several other authors consider this anatomic area to be a separated space. The goal of this study was to provide a detailed description of the normal anatomy using medical images and human cadaveric head material dissection of this facial anatomic region, to precisely clarify its condition as an extension of the masticator space or an independent space.

Methods

The buccomasseteric area in 25 male and female patients aged 14–68 years, who were referred for various head and neck disorders that did not compromise the masticatory and buccal area, was analyzed by magnetic resonance imaging on the axial and coronal planes. The region was further examined by dissection of the buccomasseteric area in four heads of fresh adult male and female human cadavers aged 30–65 years.

Results

The findings demonstrated that the buccal compartment should be considered part of the masticator space, rather than a space in itself. This was mainly because a corridor was positioned medially to the tendon of the masseter muscle that communicated the infratemporal region of the masticator space with the buccal region, with no fascial barrier at this level that could separate it from the masticator space.

Conclusions

The present study suggests that the buccal compartment is part of the masticator space, rather than a space in itself.

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Acknowledgments

We would like thank Dr Guillermo Salgado Alarcón, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and Professor Miguel Soto Vidal, University of Chile, for their great contribution in providing us with the cadaveric material that made the present study possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Área de Radiología, Departamento de Patología y Medicina Oral, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Chile, Sergio Livingstone Polhammer 943, Independencia, Santiago, Chile

    Jorge Pinares Toledo

  2. Instituto de Neurocirugía Dr Alfonso Asenjo, Avda. José Manuel Infante 553, Providencia, Santiago, Chile

    Roberto Marileo Zagal

  3. Odontología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Campus San Joaquin, Avda. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile

    Jorge Pinares Toledo, Loreto Bruce Castillo & Rodrigo Villanueva Conejeros

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  1. Jorge Pinares Toledo
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  2. Roberto Marileo Zagal
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  3. Loreto Bruce Castillo
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  4. Rodrigo Villanueva Conejeros
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jorge Pinares Toledo.

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Conflict of interest

Jorge Pinares Toledo, Roberto Marileo Zagal, Loreto Bruce Castillo, and Rodrigo Villanueva Conejeros declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human rights statements

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 and later versions.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

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Pinares Toledo, J., Marileo Zagal, R., Bruce Castillo, L. et al. Is the buccal compartment a masticatory space extension or an anatomic space in itself? Evidence based on medical images and human cadaver dissection. Oral Radiol 34, 49–55 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-017-0287-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-017-0287-7

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