Maxillary Antroliths: A Digital Panoramic-based Study

Objectives Maxillary antroliths are calcified masses found within the maxillary sinus. The aim of this study was to investigate their presence in a sample of Lebanese population by means of digital panoramic radiographs. Material and methods In this study, 500 digital panoramic radiographs of Lebanese adult patients (281 females and 219 males) with a median age of 47.9±18.98 years were included and examined for maxillary antroliths. The statistical analysis of the data found was performed by IBM® SPSS® (IBM, Armonk, NY) version 20.0 for Windows. Results The sample investigated presented only three maxillary antroliths (0.6%). Among these, two were found in female patients and one in male; none of them was bilateral, one on the right side and two on the left side. No statistically significant relationships were observed with patients' gender and age. Conclusion Maxillary antroliths are rare entities detected accidentally on panoramic radiographs utilized frequently in dental clinics. In light of their possible association with chronic sinusitis, dentists should have a complete knowledge of their diagnosis.