Prevalence, height, and location of antral septa in Iranian patients undergoing maxillary sinus lift

Background and aim. Presence of maxillary septa has been known to be a complicating factor for sinus elevation procedure. This study was aimed at detecting the prevalence, location and height of antral septa in edentulous and dentate Iranian patients scheduled for sinus elevation procedure. Materials and methods. A total of 132 sinuses in 66 patients (39 male and 27 female) aged 34-73 years were evaluated through a computed tomography scan analysis. Results. The prevalence of one or more septa was 35.52% (27/76) for edentulous and 21.42% (12/56) for dentate patients (overall 29.54% [39/132]). The prevalence of septa was not significantly different between males and females. Antral septa were found in the middle (53.84% [21/39]), anterior (30.76% [12/39]), and posterior parts (15.38% [6/39]). The mean heights of septa were 6.52 ± 3.87 mm, 7.58 ± 3.56 mm and 5.33 ± 4.23 mm in medial, lateral and middle parts of maxillary antrum, respectively. Conclusion. Antral septa may be present in any area of the maxillary sinus with variable prevalence among populations.