DIAGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF CONE-BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN ODONTOGENIC MAXILLARY SINUS

Abstract

Odontogenic maxillary sinusitis is an important clinical problem associated with maxillary teeth and their periapical pathologies, and is widely encountered in modern otolaryngology and dentistry practice [1,2]. The anatomical location of the maxillary molar and premolar tooth roots close to the floor of the maxillary sinus creates conditions for easy spread of infection, resulting in the development of an inflammatory process in the sinus mucosa [3,4]. This study was aimed at assessing the diagnostic value of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in the detection of odontogenic maxillary sinusitis [5]. The study was conducted in a cross-sectional (cross-sectional) design with the participation of 60 patients aged 18–45 years who consulted dental and ENT clinics in Tashkent [6]. The images examined the thickening of the maxillary sinus mucosa (>3 mm), fluid level, osteomeatal complex status, and the distance between the tooth roots and the sinus floor [8]. The presence of caries and periapical lesions was determined by dental examination and their association with sinus pathology was assessed [9]. The results were processed using variational statistical methods, and the data were expressed as mean values and standard deviations (M ± SD). The level of statistical significance was considered p < 0.05 [10]. According to the results of the study, maxillary sinusitis of odontogenic origin was detected in 68.3% of patients, and the majority of them had periapical pathologies associated with the maxillary molar teeth [11]. The average thickness of the sinus mucosa was 5.6 ± 1.8 mm, which was significantly higher than in the healthy control group (p < 0.01) [12]. In addition, it was found that the risk of developing sinusitis increased as the distance between the tooth root and the sinus floor decreased, and a negative correlation was noted between them (r = –0.62, p < 0.05) [13]. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) demonstrated clear visualization of pathological changes in 91.6% of odontogenic sinusitis cases, demonstrating higher diagnostic accuracy than plain radiography (p < 0.01) [14]. A statistically significant correlation was also observed between clinical symptoms and radiological changes (r = 0.58, p < 0.05) [15]. In conclusion, cone beam computed tomography has a high diagnostic value in the early and accurate detection of odontogenic maxillary sinusitis and is important in the differential diagnosis of dental and otolaryngological pathologies [16].