Introduction: Dental implant placement in the maxillary posterior edentulous area can be an indication for sinus lifting surgery in case of inadequate residual bone between the sinus floor and crestal ridge. In the present study, we aimed to conduct a radiological assessment of maxillary sinus surgical risks in sinus lifting surgery candidates, using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 350 cases (100 premolar, 130 first molar, and 120 second molar edentulous areas) were extracted from the records of two private radiology clinics in Babol, Iran. The residual ridge height (RRH), mucosal thickness (MT), ostial patency, sinus width (SW), lateral wall thickness (LWT), angle formed between the medial and lateral walls of sinus (angle A), sinus floor thickness (FT), alveolar crest distance (ACD), presence of vertical septa, and correlation between these variables were evaluated using NNT software. The data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, and Mann-Whitney tests using SPSS version 22.
Results: The minimum RRH and LWT were observed in the second molar area, whereas minimum SW and angle A were found in the second premolar area. A correlation was found between increased MT and the presence of septa, ostium obstruction, decreased angle A, and FT. However, there was no significant association between other variables.
Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the first molar area is the highest risk area in sinus lifting surgery. Therefore, morphological sinus assessment seems to be essential in addition to routine CBCT evaluations.
