Maxillary sinus osteoma: From incidental finding to surgical management

Due to the frequent use and availability of the orthopantomogram (OPG), dental practitioners are more frequently confronted with incidental findings such as osteomas located in the maxillary/–mandibular bone or inside the maxillary sinuses. Osteomas are benign slow-growing osteogenic tumors, which frequently develop in the mandible. In the midface, osteomas appear frequently in the frontoethmoidal sinuses. Maxillary sinus osteoma is a rare entity. Also in asymptomatic patients, cranio-facial osteomas need to be further investigated for a precise diagnosis. The clinical importance of osteomas lies in their differentiation from a malignant lesion such as the osteosarcoma. In patients with multiple osteomas, Gardner's syndrome (GS) as an underlying disease needs to be excluded. In this report, we present the case of a solitary maxillary sinus osteoma, incidentally found on the OPG. The surgical technique for the removal of the osteoma is presented. In this case, the patient was free of the stigmas associated with GS.