Anthropometric Characteristics of the Maxillary Sinus in Korean

Lee, Duk Ku; Jeong, Haw Hae; Seo, Youn Kyung; Paik, Doo Jin

Abstract

The maxillary sinus is an anthropological landmark because of difference of volume of maxillary sinus among persons of different ethnic origin. This study was undertaken to provide morphological characteristics of Korean's maxillary sinus. The size and volume of maxillary sinus were measured in 44 Korean skulls 23 males and 21 females from cadaver. The shapes of the maxillary sinus were classified according to Anagnostopoulou et al. (1991) and the sizes of the medial antral wall area of the maxillary sinus were classified according to Fernandes (2004b). The mean volume of maxillary sinus was 12.83+/-5.41 cm3, which was significantly different between males and females. Bilateral symmetry of the volume of the maxillary sinus was observed in the 70% of the specimens. The width of maxillary sinus was 26.59+/-4.96 mm. The height of maxillary sinus was 26.65+/-6.16 mm. The anteroposterior length was 32.84+/-4.96 mm. The anteroposterior length measured on C-Arm radiography was 36.99+/-4.72 mm. The shape of maxillary sinus was semi-ellipsoid and the majority (50%) of the shape of medial antral wall area of maxillary sinus was the type of small. The results of this study could be useful to clarify the anthropological characteristics of the maxillary sinus in Korean, and to provide an index of ethnic classification for the medial antral wall area.