Quantification of Bone Height and Bone Volume Around Dental Implants After Open Maxillary Sinus Elevation Surgery...

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Radiology

Background:

• Maxillary sinus elevation is a common procedure to augment bone volume for dental implants.
• Assessing bone formation post-sinus elevation is crucial for treatment success.
• Objective and reliable methods for volumetric bone assessment are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate bone formation volume and height after open maxillary sinus elevation using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).
• To compare 3D volumetric analysis with conventional 2D measurements of bone height.
• To investigate the influence of clinical factors on bone formation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 24 patients with 67 implants undergoing open maxillary sinus elevation without grafts.
• CBCT scans analyzed at baseline and after a mean 6.2-month healing period using a 3D image analysis protocol.
• Comparison with conventional manual 2D measurements of vertical bone formation.

Main Results:

• A low early implant loss rate of 1.5% was observed.
• The 3D CBCT analysis showed an average volumetric bone formation of 195 mm³ in a restricted region around implants.
• A strong correlation (R² = 0.705) was found between 3D volumetric and 2D linear bone formation measurements.
• Clinical factors like age, smoking, and health status did not significantly correlate with bone formation.

Conclusions:

• CBCT-based 3D image analysis provides an objective and reliable method for assessing bone formation after sinus elevation.
• The 3D method demonstrates a correlation with 2D measurements, reducing examiner variability.
• Volumetric bone formation is not significantly influenced by common clinical factors.