Determining the effects of deviated nasal septum on maxillary sinus volume using cone-beam computed tomography

Introduction: Paranasal sinuses are four air-filled spaces in face. The maxillary sinuses are important for dentist because of their location. The volume of them can be affected by various factors and make them prone to sinusitis. Objectives: This retrospective study examined maxillary sinus volume in relationship with nasal septum deviation (NSD) by using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: From our CBCT archives, we retrospectively selected 210 CBCT images and 420 healthy maxillary sinuses. The maxillary sinuses were calculated using the NNT Viewer software by importing CBCT images. In this study, NSDs were classified into three levels of severity: mild, moderate, and severe. In patients with NSD, bilateral sinus volumes were compared and allowed us to determine the difference in maxillary sinus volume. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS (P<0.05). Results: The average volume of the right and left maxillary sinuses is 13.04 ± 3.37 cm3 and 13.59 ± 3.33 cm3 , respectively. The prevalence of NSD in population of this study was 89.5%. Both sides of the maxillary sinuses were significantly larger in male patients than female patients (P<0.05). The negative correlation between age and maxillary sinus volume (P<0.05) showed that maxillary sinus volume decreased with age. For cases of moderate and severe NSDs in the same direction as the deviation, the maxillary sinus volume is significantly smaller than that on the opposite side (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in mild cases of deviation (P>0.05). Conclusion: In moderate and severe groups, maxillary sinus volume was smaller on the same side compared with the opposite side of deviation, and maxillary sinus volume is greater in male patients than female patients, and it decreases with age.