Implications of the hypoplasic sinus in implant-supported rehabilitation:a literature review

Abstract

In the posterior region of the maxilla, the phenomenon of pneumatization as well as other anatomical variations of the maxillary sinus makes the rehabilitation process on implants challenging. Objective: To carry out a literature review on the anatomical aspects of the maxillary sinus with emphasis on the variation of sinus hypoplasia, observing the impacts on implant-supported rehabilitation of the posterior region of the maxilla. Methods: The keywords “Maxillary sinus”, “Computed tomography” and “Dental implants” were used through an electronic search in PubMed and Google Scholar databases, from 2012 to January 2022. A total of 20 articles were initially selected and in order to complement the theoretical basis, 9 studies were added through free search, totaled 29 studies. Results: Computed tomography scans can detect the maxillary sinus hypoplasia, the sinus membrane thickening and the lateral extension of the nasal cavity in some patients, demanding from the dentist a greater skill and adequate planning of the posterior region of the maxilla in order to offer patients a predictable and safe implant-supported rehabilitation despite of possible intraoperative occurrences. Conclusion: The importance of tomographic evaluation of the maxillary sinus was verified prior to rehabilitation with implants in the posterior region of the maxilla, as well as the need to know the anatomical variations with a focus on maxillary sinus hypoplasia.

Key words: Maxillary sinus, Computed tomography, Dental implants.