[Dental foreign body sinusitis].

INTRODUCTION

Unilateral chronic maxillary sinusitis is frequently attributed to dental origin. The goal of this retrospective study is to determine the frequency of maxillary sinusitis due to a foreign body of dental origin and its characteristics.

METHODS

Review of 197 sinusitis cases with maxillary sinus involvement operated in our department from 1991 to 1999. Selection of the 17 cases preoperatively suspect to be due to a foreign body of dental origin.

RESULTS

9% of the 197 maxillary sinusitis were classified "odontogenic". Intra-sinusal foreign bodies were identified in 5%: 2% of dental origin, 1% dental or radicular remnants, 2% of "pseudo" foreign bodies of mycotic origin.

CONCLUSION

Chronic maxillary sinusitis attributable to a dental foreign body is rare and overestimated. There exists an important disproportion between the number of intra-sinusal dental foreign bodies and the number of patients who are symptomatic. Treatment is surgical by oral antrotomy and/or endonasal meatotomy. Only a prospective study could give a real estimation of the proportion of symptomatic cases and determine the predisposing factors.