Morphological Analysis of the Human Maxillary Sinus Using Three-Dimensional Printing.

BACKGROUND

The maxillary sinus (MS) is described as a pyramid-shaped cavity of the maxilla.

AIM

The aim of this research is to present a strategy for morphological analysis of the MS using three-dimensional (3D) printing acquired through cone-beam computed tomography images.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A cross-sectional exploratory, single-blind study was conducted, including 24 subjects. MSs were reconstructed, and 3D virtual modeling was done bilaterally, obtaining 48 physical models generated on a 3D printer. The statistical analysis used tests of normality and tests using a value of < 0.05 to establish statistical significance.

RESULTS

The mean of the MS volume was 15.38 cm (±6.83 cm). The minimum volume was 5.4 cm and the maximum was 30.8 cm. In a bilateral comparison of the right and left volume of the same individual, there were no significant differences ( = 0.353). In relation to the morphology of the MSs, the most prevalent was pyramidal with a square base with a prevalence of 66.7%. Related to gender, significant differences were observed only for the left volume ( = 0.009), with the mean volume being significantly greater in the men (19.69 cm) than in the women (12.28 cm).

CONCLUSION

3D printing of the MS permitted the more precise observation of anatomical features that cannot be seen on a 2D screen. A classification is presented that allows an analysis of sinus morphology, although it is necessary to conduct studies with larger samples to obtain more conclusive results.