Association between thickness of the maxillary sinus membrane and residual bone height: a retrospective CBCT study

Abstract

Introduction: During implant treatment in the maxillary molar region, maxillary sinus floor augmentation is often performed to improve alveolar bone height loss attributed to bone remodeling and pneumatization expansion caused by the maxillary sinus. However, this procedure may cause complications such as perforation of the mucosa of the maxillary sinus. Maxillary sinus pathological conditions, such as Schneiderian membrane thickening, can affect the results of sinus lift surgical procedures and implant treatment. There is little information on the relationship between residual alveolar bone height and mucosal thickening. To reduce complications during maxillary sinus augmentation, the present retrospective study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between the height of the remaining alveolar bone and the thickened maxillary sinus membrane.

Research method: In this retrospective study, 64 CBCT (Cone-Beam Computed Tomography) radiographs were examined to evaluate the relationship between the remaining bone height and the maxillary sinus membrane. Sinus membrane and residual ridge height were measured in possible implant locations in cross-sectional measurements. In the desired part, the height of the remaining bone was measured in millimeters between the most coronal point of the alveolar crest and the bone edge of the sinus. In the cross-section images, the thickness of the mucosa was measured from the most apical part of the sinus floor to the most coronal part. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the correlation and the amount of changes in the sizes of the above two scales. Independent T-test was used to compare the mean measurements of sinus membrane thickness. The significance level in all tests was considered less than 5%.

Findings: The correlation between the average height of the remaining bone and the maxillary sinus membrane was about 0.197% (r=0.197); But it was not statistically significant. (p=0.131), in fact, the correlation rate or the rate of changes in the size of the maxillary sinus membrane with the height of the remaining bone is 20%.

Conclusion: A decrease in the height of the remaining alveolar bone is usually seen with an increase in the thickness of the sinus membrane, but there is no significant correlation between them.