Surgical Treatment of Acut and Chronic Oroantral Communications: A Clinical Study of 33 Cases

Abstract

Oroantral comunications are known as pathological connections occuring between the oral cavity and maxillary sinus. Early treatment of this condition prevents the development of sinusitis and fistula, as well as the need for more complex methods of treating patients and the possibility of recurrence. In this study; age, sex, etiologic factors, location of the opening, methods of treatment and early complications of 33 patients that surgically treated in Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic between 2005-2011 were examined. 18 (54.54%) of oroantral openings were treated with buccal advancement flap, 4 (12.12%) of them were treated with palatal rotational flap, 8 (24.24%) of them were treated with iodoform gauze pack strip and the remaining 3 (9.09%) cases were treated with buccal fat pad, double-tunnel method and primary closure. In all cases, tooth extraction was the only etiologic factor. 100% (20/20) success was achieved in all patients with acute openings, while the rate was 77% (13/10) in patients with oroantral fistula.