Comparison of the Posterior Superior Alveolar Artery in the Maxillary Sinus between Edentulous and Dentate Patients Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

Background and Aim:The posterior superior alveolar artery (PSAA) is a branch of the maxillary artery.This study compared the anatomical position of the PSAA in the maxillary sinus between edentulous and dentate patients using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).Materials and Methods: This descriptive study evaluated 280 maxillary sinus CBCT scans of edentulous and dentate patients.Visibility, vertical diameter, location and type of artery, horizontal distance from the PSAA to the sinus internal wall, distance from the artery to the sinus floor, distance from the artery to the alveolar crest, and distance from the alveolar crest to the sinus floor were studied on coronal sections using SIDEXIS 3D software.Data were analyzed by the Chi-square, Spearman rank correlation coefficient, and independent t tests.Results: The artery type was mainly type I, with no difference between males and females or edentulous and dentate patients (P>0.05).PSAA was primarily located in the second molar area in dentate patients.The horizontal distance from the PSAA to the sinus internal wall, PSAA vertical diameter, distance from the alveolar crest to the sinus floor, and distance from PSAA to the maxillary sinus floor were not different in different age groups (P>0.05).Vertical diameter of PSAA and distance from PSAA to the maxillary sinus floor were not different between edentulous and dentate groups (P>0.05). Conclusion:The distance from the PSAA to the sinus internal wall and to the alveolar crest, and the distance from the alveolar crest to the sinus floor were smaller in edentulous patients.