Evaluation of Maxillary Palatal Process Pneumatization by Cone-Beam Computed Tomography.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the pneumatization type of the palatal process (PTP) and angular and distance measurements of neighbouring structures on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 400 maxillary sinuses (MS) of 200 patients (96 female; 104 male; mean age: 43.2) were retrospectively evaluated. PTP was divided into three as types 1,2 and 3 and evaluated at distances 4, 8, 16, and 24 mm posterior to incisive foramen. The sinus and alveolar ridge height, palatonasal recess angle (PRA) and palatal junction angle (PJA) were also measured and recorded.

RESULTS: PTP I (101, 25.3%) was the most frequent type, followed by PTP II (95, 23.8%), and the least was PTP III (4, 1%). In patients with PTP I, the alveolar ridge height in the 4 mm and 8 mm group was significantly higher than in the patients with PTP II and III (p<0.05). In patients with PTP I, PRA in the 4 mm and 16 mm groups was significantly higher than in patients with PTP II and III (p<0.05). Sinus and alveolar ridge height, PRA and PJA did not differ significantly between the right and left sides in the 4 mm, 8 mm, 16 mm, and 24 mm groups (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Knowing the anatomy of the MS is very important for a successful surgical procedure in this area. Anatomy and pathology of the MS can be understood more clearly in CBCT.