[Odontogenic chronic maxillary sinusitis: regenerative possibilities of oro-antral defect].

Odontogenic maxillary sinusitis often develops into a chronic picture of unilateral inflammation, progressively interesting the whole antrum mucosa. The only decisive therapy of this pathology is a surgical one that, by completely removing pathologic tissues, starts sinus restoration by a healthy respiratory mucous membrane. This tissue grows from the nasal cavity after the radical surgery (according to Caldwell-Luc), presupposing an antrum drainage through that same cavity. Nevertheless, if the inflamed area is just limited in the central and posterior recesses, and the hiatus semilunaris of the medial wall remains open, it is possible to avoid a surgical access to the nasal cavity. In this way, an alternative surgery is proposed for chronic sinusitis which, using principles of Guided Bone Regeneration, permits to completely remove pathologic tissues and to start bone reformation in the damaged alveolar.