Prevalence of anatomic and pathologic findings in the maxillary sinus detected through cone-beam computed tomography in the routine of Stomatology

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of anatomic and pathologic findings in the maxillary sinus detected through cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in the routine of Stomatology. Materials and methods: The sample consisted of 954 CBCT scans from male (n: 330) and female (n: 624) patients aged between 2 and 86 years (mean age: 33 years). CBCT scans were taken from each patient for dental and maxillofacial diagnosis and treatment planning. The iCAT CBCT device and the inherent VisionQ software package (Imaging Science International, Hatfield, PA, USA) were used. X2 test was used to associate the anatomic and pathologic findings with patients' sex and age. Results: In both males and females, the most prevalent anatomic and pathologic findings in the maxillary sinus were, respectively, the sinus septa (21.2%) and thickening of the sinus mucosa (62.3%). Higher prevalence of maxillary sinus findings were detected within patients in the age range from 12 and 18 years (p<0.05). CBCT exams showed a high prevalence of anatomic and pathologic findings in the maxillary sinus that may have a significant clinical relevance. Conclusions: Stomatologists, Maxillofacial Surgeons and Physicians must properly interpret CBCT exams and must be aware of the occurrence of anatomic and pathologic findings prior to procedures that involve the maxillary sinus.