The hamulus is always a fun find when I’m working with the students on interpretations as it really forces them to recall anatomy beyond just the maxilla and mandible. The hamulus is a small bony hook that projects off the medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone (that’s a tongue twister). This is typically captured on intraoral images with either excessive distal angulation or if your patient isn’t a gagger – you got the image sensor extremely far back in their mouth.
The hamulus presents as an obliquely angled radiopaque entity directly distal to the maxillary tuberosity.
Bitewing radiograph showing hamulus as a radiopaque entity distal to the maxillary tuberosity.
Periapical radiograph showing the hamulus (arrow).
Bitewing radiograph showing the hamulus (arrow).
Here’s a fun example where it was visualized on a pantomograph.
Pantomograph showing the hamulus on the right side as a radiopaque entity distal to the maxillary tuberosity.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. Thanks and enjoy!
cool. I learned something.
🙂
is there a lateral periodontal cyst irt lower left premolars in panoramic X-ray
If you are referring to the well-defined radiolucent area between the roots of the mandibular left premolars on the pantomograph – that is the mental foramen.
Thank you so much for taking the time to create this website. It has been so helpful to my students!!
Thanks. A little behind in updating recently but pleased to hear you find it useful. 🙂