Evaluation of maxillary sinus findings after dental implant and sinus floor augmentation procedures with cone-beam computed tomography.

Background: To assess maxillary sinus findings using dental volumetric tomography before and after surgery in patients with dental implants in the maxillary posterior region with or without sinus floor elevation due to insufficient bone height.

Materials and Methods: Cone-beam computerized tomography images taken for surgical planning before implantation and controlling after implantation were reviewed in 50 patients applied to the Department of Oral, Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery and Radiology of Dentistry Faculty at Ondokuz Mayıs University. Maxillary sinus diseases (focal mucosal thickening, polyp, mucous retention cyst, sinusitis) were evaluated. The relationship between dental implant and sinus floor augmentation procedures and maxillary sinus findings was statistically evaluated using the Chi-square test and Wilcoxon rank test.

Results: In this study, 26 female (52%) and 24 male (48%) patients were examined. The mean age of all patients was 53.82 years (± 8.63). Focal mucosal thickening was most frequently observed in the study. There was no statistically significant correlation between implant applications and sinus pathologies with both internal and external elevation procedures and implant applications (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: Sinus floor augmentation and dental implant applications seemed not to increase the risk of maxillary sinüs pathologies. However, it is suggested to carry out similar studies with more samples.