Abstract
Background
To understand the potential impact of periodontal disease on maxillary sinus health, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between periodontal bone loss and maxillary sinus membrane thickness using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).
Methods
Nine hundred thirty-nine maxillary posterior segment images from 527 subjects were retrospectively scanned via CBCT. A total of 826 premolar, 701 first molar and 817 second molar teeth were examined. The maxillary sinuses in each segment were divided into anterior, median and posterior regions according to the tooth roots they were associated with and their membrane thicknesses were measured and categorized. The effects of age and sex on membrane thickness were evaluated. T tests and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze differences between groups, followed by post hoc Tukey tests for multiple comparisons. Additionally, correlation analyses were performed to investigate the relationships between the categorized membrane thicknesses and periodontal bone loss.
Results
A significant positive correlation was found between maxillary sinus membrane thickness and periodontal bone loss in all three regions (p < 0.05). Periodontal bone loss was greater in regions with class IV membrane thickness (p < 0.001). Sinus membrane thickness and periodontal bone loss were greater in men (p < 0.001) and older people (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
This study found a relationship between maxillary sinus membrane thickness and bone loss due to periodontal disease in the maxillary posterior region. Considering the relationship between periodontal disease and sinus infections, it can be concluded that progressive and untreated periodontal disease may be associated with infections in close anatomical structures such as the maxillary sinus. These results may contribute to the development of clinical decisions and treatment plans in implantology practices.