Morphometric Assessment of Alveolar Antral Artery Using Medical Computed Tomography

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Radiology

Background:

• The alveolar antral artery (AAA) is a critical anatomical structure in the maxillary sinus.
• Understanding AAA variations is crucial for preventing intraoperative hemorrhage during sinus-related procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence, diameter, and position of the AAA in paranasal sinus CT scans.
• To correlate AAA location with tooth position, presence of teeth, and residual alveolar bone height (ABH).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 100 maxillary sinus CT scans from 50 patients.
• Evaluation of AAA location in the lateral wall of the maxillary sinus.
• Correlation analysis with first and second molar regions, dentition status, and ABH.

Main Results:

• The intraosseous type was the most prevalent type of AAA.
• AAA location and distance were significantly affected by tooth position, particularly in edentulous first molar areas.
• Residual alveolar bone height (ABH) also demonstrated a significant correlation with AAA characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Pre-operative CT evaluation of AAA diameter, position, and distance is essential for hemorrhage prevention.
• The variability in AAA distance, influenced by dentition and ABH, must be considered even when the AAA is not clearly visualized on CT.