CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY ANALYSIS OF ACCESSORY MAXILLARY OSTIUM- ITS PREVALENCE AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

The osteomeatal complex contributes to the final drainage pathway of maxillary, anterior ethmoidal and frontal sinuses. Primary maxillary sinus ostium is present in all population while if extra opening present in addition then it is called accessory maxillary sinus ostium. Its presence may be associated with increase in incidence of mucus retention cysts, mucosal thickening and maxillary sinusitis. The assessment of AMO is recommended to investigate the patients with definitive maxillary sinus pathology. Aim: To access the prevalence of AMO and its association with mucosal thickening, polyps, antral secretions and mucous retention cyst. Methodology:CBCTscans of 100 patients were selected in the study and analyzed for prevalence of accessory maxillary ostium &for any subsequent presence of maxillary sinus pathologies like mucosal thickenings, polypoidal thickenings and opacification of sinus Results: The overall prevalence of AMO is 39%. Prevalence of incidental pathologies like mucosal thickening, polypoidal thickenings and sinus opaifications were seen in 26%, 14% & 8% & association of AMO was found in 53.8% in mucosal thickenings, 17.9% of polypoidal thickenings & 10.3% of sinus opacification with high statistical significance between presence of AMO with mucosal thickenings.