CORRELATION BETWEEN MAXILLARY SINUS (LINEAR AND VOLUMETRIC MEASUREMENTS) AND MID-FACE WIDTH USING CBCT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: The maxillary sinus is a key anatomical structure in the craniofacial complex, and its morphology may reflect facial skeletal characteristics. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) enables accurate three-dimensional evaluation of sinus anatomy. Understanding the relationship between sinus dimensions and facial measurements is valuable for clinical planning in dentistry, maxillofacial surgery, and forensic applications. Purpose: To assess the correlation between maxillary sinus dimensions and facial width in healthy adults using CBCT, and to evaluate the influence of age, sex, and mandibular body length on sinus dimensions. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on CBCT scans of 40 healthy adults (13 males, 27 females; aged 18–44 years). Maxillary sinus volume, width, height, and length were measured bilaterally, along with facial width and mandibular body length. Pearson correlation was used to evaluate associations between variables. Sex differences and laterality were analyzed. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to determine the strongest predictors of sinus volume. Inter- and intra-observer reliability were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results: After statistical analysis, we found that the maxillary sinus showed bilateral symmetry with no significant right–left differences. Facial width demonstrated a significant positive correlation with sinus dimensions, particularly on the right side (p < 0.05), indicating that wider facial structures are associated with larger sinus volume and linear dimensions. No significant associations were found between sinus measurements and age or mandibular body length. Although males exhibited slightly greater sinus dimensions than females, differences were not statistically significant. Multiple regression analysis identified sinus height and width as the strongest predictors of sinus volume (Adjusted R² up to 0.92). CBCT measurements showed excellent reproducibility. Conclusion: Maxillary sinus dimensions correlate significantly with facial width in adults, suggesting coordinated growth of sinus anatomy and midfacial structures. CBCT provides reliable measurements for sinus evaluation and may aid in surgical planning, implantology, orthodontics, and forensic identification.