Retrospective Evaluation Of Maxillary Sinus Pathology In Patients With Subsinus Edentulism

Objectives: Objectives: The aim of this study is to retrospectively analyze cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of patients with subsinus edentulism to identify the prevalence of sinus pathology and assess correlations with demographics.
Methods: Methods: The study population consisted of patients from East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine (ECU SoDM) with subsinus edentulism that had CBCT scans performed for implant placement. After Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval (19-00903), demographic data and radiology reports were extracted from the electronic health record (EHR), and pathological conditions were categorized and correlated with demographic variables by χ²analysis and binomial linear regression where necessary.
Results: Results: Out of 720 identified as having maxillary CBCTs exposed for implant placement, 420 subjects met inclusion criteria. Sinusitis and mucosal thickening was found to be the most prevalent pathological group (29.5% of subjects), followed by accumulation of fluids and secretions (13.1%), mucous retention cysts and pseudocysts (7.1%), polyps and polypoid lesions (2.1%) and antroliths (1.4%). Age was found to approach statistical significance as a predictor for pathology (p=0.053) and no other demographic variables were found to be predictors.
Conclusions: Conclusions: The assessment of pathologies and other variations of the maxillary sinus is critical when planning for dental implant and sinus floor elevation surgeries. In addition to findings regarding pathology, the data set used in this study will be subsequently analyzed in SIMPLANT implant planning software for the presence of intraosseous posterior superior alveolar artery, sinus septa and other anatomical variations that are clinically relevant.