Assessment of the Relationship Between Maxillary Sinus Membrane Thickness and Various Anatomical Factors Before Implant Treatment

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the maxillary sinus mucosal thickness (MSMT) and factors that may affect this thickness in individuals with a posterior edentulous region. Methods: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 130 patients with edentulous posterior maxilla were retrospectively examined. MSMT was measured. The relationship between MSMT and age, gender, residual alveolar bone length/width, nasal septum deviation angle, ostium obstruction, and pneumatization were examined. Descriptive statistics, nonparametric tests, Spearman correlation, and chi-square analyses were used. The significance level was set at .05. Results: The study included 130 maxillary sinuses. Pathological mucosal thickening was present in 67 (51.5%) of maxillary sinuses. Mucosal thickness was significantly thicker in the presence of maxillary sinus ostium obstruction, in the presence of pneumatization and in males. No statistically significant differences were found between nasal septum deviation angle groups. Conclusions: MSMT is affected by gender, the alveolar bone length, maxillary sinus ostium obstruction, and pneumatization as results of this study. When planning implant treatment, these factors that will affect the MSMT should be considered for the success of the treatment, and the planning should be done together by the oral and maxillofacial surgeon and the dentomaxillofacial radiologist.