When Maxillary Sinusitis Does Not Heal: Findings on CBCT Scans of the Sinuses With a Particular Focus on the Occurrence of Odontogenic Causes of Maxillary Sinusitis

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to investigate the proportion of patients with suspected sinusitis referred for radiological examination who have radiologically verified sinusitis of odontogenic origin and to describe this type of sinusitis. STUDY DESIGN: This investigation is a retrospective study. METHODS: A total of 303 sinus examinations involving cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) performed at Sunderby Hospital, Luleå, Sweden in 2012 were independently reviewed by two radiologists. The number of cases of maxillary sinusitis and the correlation between maxillary sinusitis and odontogenic infections were determined. RESULTS: Overall, 24% of the verified cases of sinusitis were odontogenic. An odontogenic origin was identified in 40% of unilateral maxillary sinusitis cases but only 6% of bilateral maxillary sinusitis cases (p = 0.0015). Forty‐nine out of 54 patients with periapical destruction had adjacent mucosal swelling in the maxillary sinus, but only 15 of these patients satisfied the criteria for sinusitis. CONCLUSION: The present study confirms the close relationship between odontogenic infections and unilateral maxillary sinusitis. Level of Evidence 4