Evaluation of the location of the posterior superior alveolar artery in the maxillary sinus by Cone beam computed tomography

Background: Considering the growing interest in dental implants to replace missing teeth and the subsequent increase in sinus augmentation surgery, one of the anatomical landmarks that may be injured during this procedure is the posterior superior alveolar artery (PSAA).The purpose of this study was to evaluate thelocation of PSAAusing cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. Methods:160 CBCT scans of 80 females and 80 males with age range of 20 to 86 years were selected. The location of PSAA were examined on cross-sectional images from the first premolar to the third molar areas of left and right maxillary sinuses. The distances ofarteryto sinus floor, alveolar crest and medial wall of the maxillary sinus and the artery diameter were measured. Data were analyzedusing SPSS softwareV.22and T-Test and ANOVA. Results: The mean PSAA diameter from the first premolar to the third molar was 0.75, 0.82, 0.92, 0.95 and 1.03mm, respectively. The closest distances of the artery to alveolar crest were seen in the first and second molars areas with mean 16.11 and 16.65 mm in which, PSAA is close to the maxillary sinus membrane. The distances of artery tosinus floor and alveolar crest and artery diameter were higher in males than females (p<0.001). The distance of the PSAA to the medial wall of the sinus is decreased with increasing age (p=0.015). Left and right sidesshowed no significant differences. Conclusion: Due to anatomical variation, evaluation of maxillary sinus using CBCT before sinus augmentation surgery by a surgeon or radiologist can be useful in planning a more precise treatment and avoiding unwanted side effects.