The canine fossa, a depression on the surface of the maxillary bone, is important clinically due to the nexus of the neurovascular elements which occur in this region and supply the superficial and deep structures of the face. While it is known that there is much variation in the neurovascular structures of this region, little is known about sex differences. The aim of this study was to investigate and map the neurovascular branching within the region of the canine fossa of a South African population, with particular reference to any sex differences.

Sixty hemifaces (n=30 female; n=30 male) of individuals between the ages of 40 and 100years were dissected. The origin, number of branches, connections between branches, origin of connecting branches and the distribution of the neurovascular structures associated with the mid-facial and canine fossa regions were documented. The data obtained was qualitative and was statistically analysed with SPSS v26 statistical analysis software. Frequency and contingency tables, along with Chi-squared analysis and Fischer's Exact test, were used for quantitative data analysis.

While high levels of variation in the neurovascular elements were documented, there was no statistically significant variation between the sexes. A sex variation was only observed for the terminal branches of CN VII with females displaying a lower number of buccal nerve terminal branches than males.

While only one sex difference of significance was found in the highly variable neurovascular structures resident in the region of the canine fossa, the variability of the neurovascular elements is of importance to surgeons.