Prevalence of Sinus Pathology in Dentistry: Retrospective Observational Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Changes in the sinus membrane in the form of thickening or opacification often pose challenges in the differential diagnosis between rhinological and odontogenic causes. Due to their clinical similarities, the development of a radiological diagnosis, with Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) being the technique of choice, will be crucial for achieving an accurate diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive retrospective study was designed, comprising a pilot sample of 20 patients from the Faculty of Dentistry, Complutense University of Madrid, who had previously undergone a maxillary cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). The research applies Di Girolamo's classification to categorize radiological findings and assesses the relationship between sinus pathology and factors such as age, gender, and odontogenic causes. RESULTS: A total of 20 CBCT scans and health surveys from patients (14 males and 6 females), with mean age of 60 ± 8.14years were studied. Some type of sinus pathology was observed in 30 sinuses (75%) and no pathology in 10 sinuses (25%). Regarding potential etiology, dental pathology was the most prevalent (63.6%), followed by implants (18%) and oroantral communications (9%). CONCLUSION: There is a high incidence of sinus pathology. Sinus pathology is diagnosed more frequently in men and smokers. The most common types of sinus pathology are thickening of the sinus membrane, followed by opacification of the maxillary sinus.