9 - Maxillary sinuses Flashcards
What are the sinuses in the skull?
- frontal
- ethmoidal air cells
- sphenoid
- maxillary
What is the function of the paranasal sinuses?
- resonance of voice
- warm inspired air (via their blood supply)
- reduce weight of skull
Describe the maxillary sinus.
- the largest air sinus
- also known as the maxillary antrum
- pyramid shaped cavity within the maxilla
- average 15ml volume
Describe the openings of the maxillary sinus.
- middle meatus aka hiatus semilunaris
- opening is 4mm diameter
- located superiorly on medial wall of sinus
- mucosa lined
Describe the relationship of the maxillary roots and the maxillary sinus.
- can sometimes project into floor of maxillary sinus
- roots can perforate bone so that only mucosa covers them
- sometimes the bone is very thin, this is only of concern if an extraction is required or there is pathology assoicated with the roots
Describe the epithelium of the sinus.
Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium
What is the function of the cilia in the epithelium of the maxillary sinus?
- mobilise trapped particulate matter and foreign material in the sinus
- move material towards the ostia for elimination via the nasal cavity
What is the clinical significance of the maxillary sinus in dentistry?
- OAC
- OAF
- root in antrum
- sinusitis
- benign and malignant lesions
Describe the flap design for a buccal advancement flap.
- 3-sided flap design
- relieving incisions should be parallel (ish) medial and distal up towards the buccal sulus
- raise the flap
- trimming buccal bone is sometimes required
- incise/score periosteum to ensure flap can be closed without tension (fresh blade)
- suture socket and relieving incisions
How may patients present with an OAF?
- fluid comes out their nose when they drink fluids
- nasal quality of speech
- issues playing instruments
- smoking/using straw difficult
- bad taste/odour or post nasal drip
- pain/sinusitis symtoms
- unilateral drainage / salty drainage
How do you manage an OAF?
- excise sinus tract prior to performing buccal advancement flap
- antral washout sometimes performed (unpleasant for patent but aids with sinus cleanse)
What are the different flap design options for closing an OAC/F?
- buccal advancement flap
- buccal fat pad with buccal advancement flap
- palatal flap
- bone graft/collagen membrane
Describe a buccal fat pad with buccal advancement flap.
- incisions are extended into buccal sulcus
- buccal fat is pulled down from fat pad
- fat is sutured into socket with dissolving stitches
- buccal advancement flap as normal
- can result in facial asymmetries
Describe a palatal flap.
- flap design cut into palatal
- rotated to cover socket
- sutured into place
- can be very painful as exposed bone is left where flap was cut
What are the causes of maxillary tuberosity fracturein extraction?
- single standing molar
- unknown unerupted molar/wisdom tooth
- pathological gemination/concrescence
- extracting in wrong order
- inadequate alveolar support