Factors associated with maxillary sinus alveolar crest pneumatization: age, septa, nasal septum deviation, and root-sinus relationships

Abstract

Aims: To identify factors independently associated with extensive maxillary sinus alveolar crest pneumatization on computed tomography (CT) in a cross-sectional sample.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 800 maxillary quadrants from 400 patients. Pneumatization was classified as normal or extensive, and its associations with demographic, dental, and sinonasal variables were tested by multivariable logistic regression with cluster-robust standard errors. Intra- and inter-observer agreement was quantified on a random subsample of 82 quadrants. Generalized estimating equations and penalized-likelihood (Firth) regression were used as sensitivity analyses.Results: Extensive pneumatization was present in 603 quadrants (75.4%) and was independently associated with age [odds ratio (OR) 0.932 per year; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.908-0.957; p