Applying Cone Beam Computed Tomography to Examine Maxillary Sinus Septa and Figuring Out the Occurrence of Morphological Patterns.

Introduction and objective: A comprehensive examination of anatomical characteristics, particularly the maxillary sinus septa, is crucial for the efficacy of sinus interventions. The current research employed cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) to figure out the position of the maxillary sinus septa and the prevalence of particular morphological patterns. Material and method:This descriptive-analytical retrospective study was conducted in 2020. The sample size (n=108 samples) was determined by a census method, where all CBCT images of the maxillary arches of patients visiting the Radiology Department of the Faculty of Dentistry, Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, during the years 2018-2019, were included in the present study. All images were obtained and stored using the NewTom VGi (QR, Verona, Italy) system under automatic exposure conditions. Data were collected by the researcher using a checklist and then analyzed using SPSS version 22 at a significance level of 0.05. Results:The results indicated that the prevalence of septa was 21.3%, with the majority (8.3%) on the inferior wall. The distribution of septa was similar between genders and across the molar and premolar regions. The direction of septa was vertical in 60% of cases, with no significant difference between genders (P>0.05). Vascular structures were present in 40% of cases, with no significant gender-related differences (P>0.05). The maxillary sinus septa were 5.51±9.34 mm long and 4.94±1.09 mm apart from the vascular structures. Conclusions:It is hoped that the results of this study may help reduce the risk of complications during sinus lift surgeries, particularly in terms of minimizing the occurrence of severe bleeding.