Effectiveness of piezoelectric surgery in preparing the lateral window for maxillary sinus augmentation in patients with sinus anatomical variations: a case series.
OBJECTIVE
The present article sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a piezoelectric surgical unit for maxillary sinus augmentation surgeries in avoiding perforation of the sinus membrane and other possible procedural complications in patients with anatomical variations of the sinus.


METHODS
Twenty-five patients presenting sinus anatomical variations, who were indicated for a total of 40 sinus grafting procedures performed by the lateral window approach with a piezoelectric device, were analyzed. After 6 months of healing, implants were placed. Information collected included clinical and computed tomographic information on anatomical variations in the sinus bone walls, in the size of the sinus, and in the thickness of the sinus membrane. Occurrence of sinus membrane perforation and computed tomographic measurements of the amount of bone height gained with the grafting procedures were also recorded.


RESULTS
Only two patients presented a small perforation (less than 5 mm in diameter) of the sinus membrane, which occurred only after osteotomies of the lateral windows and did not compromise the surgical outcome. No implants were lost during a mean follow-up period of 19 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of piezoelectric surgery allowed for the accomplishment of all rehabilitation treatments within the follow-up period of this study.
Department of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. arthuro@usp.br
Arthur Rodriguez Gonzalez
AR
Cortes
Djalma Nogueira
DN
Cortes
Emiko Saito
ES
Arita
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D063405:Anatomic Variation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D008488:Medical Illustration; D008875:Middle Aged; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D059745:Piezosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects; D059546:Sinus Floor Augmentation / Q000379:methods*