Objective: To compare the anatomy of maxillary sinus in single maxillary posterior edentulous area and the contralateral side without loss of tooth, and to investigate the effect of tooth loss on the anatomy of maxillary sinus by cone-beam CT(CBCT).
Methods: A total of 128 patients with single unilateral single maxillary tooth loss were included in the study. CBCT was taken in these patients and the thickness of the maxillary lateral wall, mucosa thickness of sinus floor and sinus septa of the maxillary sinus were recorded and compared with the contralateral side. The bone height from the sinus floor to the ridge crest and the distance between maxillary sinus floor and the vascular anastomosis of maxillary lateral wall were analyzed.
Results: The thickness of maxillary sinus lateral wall and maxillary sinus mucosa were 1.59 (1.22), 1.61(1.95) mm in the maxillary posterior edentulous area and significantly less than those of the contralateral side(1.76[1.10], 1.91[2.23] mm)(P<0.05), and the data was demonstrated using median(quartile range). The difference of the mean number of maxillary sinus septa between the two sides was not statistically significant(P>0.05). There was a negative correlation between the bone height from the sinus floor to the ridge crest and the distance between maxillary sinus floor and the vascular anastomosis of maxillary lateral wall (r= -0.343, P<0.01).
Conclusions: The changes of the thickness of lateral wall of maxillary sinus and maxillary sinus mucosa are closely related to tooth loss. The change of the number of maxillary sinus septa is not related to tooth loss. There is a negative correlation between the bone height from the sinus floor to the ridge crest and the distance between maxillary sinus floor and the vascular anastomosis of maxillary lateral wall.