[Pathology of recent odontogenic maxillary sinusitis and the usefulness of endoscopic sinus surgery]

A Clinicopathological investigation of 34 patients with surgery-requiring odontogenic maxillary sinusitis was conducted. 1) Eighty-nine percent of the causative teeth leading to odontogenic maxillary sinusitis were teeth that had received a root canal treatment. The root canals of most of these teeth were incompletely filled with the filling material. 2) The pathological findings for the causative teeth showed pulpal necrosis and apical lesions after the root canal treatment. 3) Apical lesions in incorrectly treated teeth caused ostitis and odontogenic maxillary sinusitis. 4) The cause of odontogenic maxillary sinusitis should be questioned, even if a dental procedure has been performed. 5) All cases of sinusitis treated with endoscopic sinus surgery improved remarkably. Endoscopic sinus surgery is highly indicated for odontogenic maxillary sinusitis. 6) If the ventilation and drainage of the maxillary sinus is successful after surgery, most of the causative teeth (root canal-treated teeth with apical lesions) can be preserved only by treatment with antibiotics.