Arterial blood architecture of the maxillary sinus in dentate specimens

AIM To describe vascular anatomy of the maxillary sinus in dentate specimens dissected from human cadavers. METHODS Twenty dentate maxillary specimens were dissected, anatomically prepared, and injected with liquid latex for a better visualization of the maxillary sinus artery. RESULTS We found an intraosseous anastomosis in 100% and an extraosseous anastomosis in 90% of the cases. The anterior lateral wall of the maxillary sinus was transversed by two anastomoses between the posterior superior alveolar artery (PSAA) and the infraorbital artery (IOA). The PSAA was divided into a gingival and dental branch. The gingival branch anastomosed with the terminal extraosseous branch of the extraosseous anastomosis (EOA) and the dental branch with the intraosseous branch of the intraosseous anastomosis (IOA). The mean distances from the alveolar ridge to the extraosseus anastomosis were 16 mm for the second maxillary molar, 12.3 mm for the first maxillary molar, and 13.1 mm for the second maxillary premolar. The mean distances from the intraosseous anastomosis to the alveolar ridge were 17.7 mm for the second maxillary molar, 14.5 mm for the first maxillary molar, and 14.66 mm for the second maxillary premolar. CONCLUSION These findings provide relevant data for clinical dentistry in order to avoid bleeding complications and minimize the risk of injury to the arterial network of the maxillary sinus during surgical procedures in the dentate maxilla region.