A cone beam analysis of the maxillary bony canal

Abstract

Aim: To determine the prevalence and diameter of the maxillary end osseous canal which carries the anastomosis of the infra alveolar artery (a branch of the posterior superior alveolar artery) and the infra- orbital artery. Material and methods: Data was analyzed from one hundred archived cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. The presence of the end osseous anastomosis in the lateral sinus wall was identified by utilizing axial views. The vessel diameter was also measured in those images where the canal was identified. Results: The maxillary bony canal was identified in 49 (49%) of 100 maxillary sinus.14 (14%) presented on the right hand side, 10 (10%) presented on the left hand side, 25 (25%) had a bilateral presence with a remaining 51 (51%) which cannot be identified on the imaging. From the 49 canals that were identified, 5 canals had a diameter that was 2-3mm wide,19 canals had a diameter that was 1-2mm wide and the remaining 25 had a diameter that was less than 1mm. Conclusion: A sound knowledge of the maxillary sinus vascularity is essential as severe bleeding can occur due to damage of the intra-osseous branch during sinus augmentation procedures. CBCT analysis is required as a pre-requisite for the pre-planning stages during implant treatment to prevent complications such as haemorrhage, sinus perforations or associated vascular anomalies that may arise