Relationship between subsinus bone height and bone volume requirements for dental implants: a human radiographic...

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Radiology

Background:

• The maxillary sinus floor presents a common anatomical challenge for endosseous dental implant placement.
• Assessing available subsinus alveolar bone height (SBH) is critical for successful implant osseointegration.
• Variations in SBH necessitate tailored surgical approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively analyze the vertical dimension of subsinus alveolar bone.
• To determine the available bone height for endosseous implant placement in the edentulous maxilla.
• To correlate SBH with anatomical landmarks for surgical planning.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 583 panoramic radiographs of edentulous maxillae.
• Measurement of subsinus alveolar bone height (SBH) in millimeters.
• Categorization of SBH into three groups: <5 mm (A), 5-9 mm (B), and >9 mm (C).
• Statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon paired test (P < .05).

Main Results:

• The anterior border of the maxillary sinus was superior to the first premolar in 96.9% of cases.
• Mean SBH decreased from canine (11.4 ± 6.2 mm) to first molar (3.3 ± 2.2 mm) regions.
• Significant proportions of sites in the premolar and molar regions had limited SBH (<5 mm or 5-9 mm).

Conclusions:

• Subsinus alveolar bone height is greatest anteriorly and diminishes posteriorly, reaching a minimum at the first molar.
• The lateral window technique for sinus elevation is indicated in the molar region due to limited bone height.
• Less invasive augmentation techniques may be suitable for the premolar region, offering alternative treatment options.