title: Evaluating the anatomical location of the posterior superior alveolar artery in cone beam computed tomography images.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the diameter, location, and frequency of the appearance of the posterior superior alveolar artery (PSAA) in preoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. Two hundred and eleven pre-implant CBCT scans were reviewed. The following criteria were considered in all subjects: (1) the location of the artery: intra-sinus or below the membrane (type I), intraosseous (type II), or superficial (type III); (2) the distance between the lower border of the artery and the alveolar crest; (3) the bone height measured from the floor of the sinus to the crest of the ridge; (4) the distance from the lateral wall of the artery to the medial wall of the maxillary sinus; and (5) the diameter of the artery (in millimetres). The distance between the artery and the medial sinus wall, as well as the diameter of the artery, were greater in patients with an alveolar bone height ≤10mm than in those with a bone height >10mm. The distance from the artery to the medial sinus wall and the diameter of the artery were positively correlated with the number of missing teeth. It was also found that the diameter of the PSAA increased with increasing age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Khojastehpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: mehrnosh_4@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dehbozorgi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tabrizi
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esfandnia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008438:Maxillary Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D059546:Sinus Floor Augmentation
keywords: bone; maxilla; posterior superior alveolar artery; resorption