Development of Maxillary Sinuses in Girls and Boys from Birth to Age 18 Based on Computed Tomography Investigation

Background/Objectives: Maxillary sinuses play an important clinical role due to their location within the visceral cranium and proximity to numerous anatomical structures. In the case of children, considering the ongoing development process, it should be remembered that they are characterized by great variability in both size and shape. The aim of this study was to analyze the development of the right and left maxillary sinuses in relation to the age of children both in the study group and independently in girls and boys. Methods: This study was retrospective in nature. It was based on the results of head computed tomography examinations. The study group included 468 children from birth to the age of 18. To assess the development of the maxillary sinuses, the correlation between precisely defined measurements of the right and left maxillary sinuses and age was analyzed. Results: An analysis of the relationship between specific dimensions of the maxillary sinuses and the age of children revealed a very strong positive correlation for volume and height (r > 0.9, p < 0.0001) and a strong correlation for length and width (r > 0.8, p < 0.0001). The correlation for individual dimensions was similar in girls and boys. Both in the study group and for girls and boys, the correlation was symmetrical—similar for the right and left maxillary sinuses. The values of the correlation coefficients for the volume that assesses the growth of the maxillary sinuses in all directions were r = 0.92 and r = 0.91 in girls, and r = 0.91 and r = 0.92 in boys for the right and left maxillary sinus, respectively. Conclusions: A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the development of the maxillary sinuses and the age of children. The increase in the volume of the right and left maxillary sinuses was close to linear from birth to 15–16 years of age in girls and 17 years of age in boys.