Carcinoma of maxillary sinus, palate and maxillary gingiva: occurrence of jaw destruction

A comparison was made between the frequency of alveolar bone-palate destruction caused by carcinomas originating in the maxillary sinus (31 patients), palate (15) and maxillary gingiva (9). Radiographic examination included conventional sinus projections, supplemented with hypocycloid tomography (47), computed tomography (28) and orthopantomography (11). Almost every second tumor presenting with alveolar bone involvement appeared to be a maxillary sinus cancer. Gingival and palatal cancers also caused frequent bone destruction. Radiographic examination, including tomography, was of great value in demonstrating the extent of these tumors. Three cases clinically diagnosed as gingival cancers proved to originate in the maxillary sinus.