Total paranasal sinus aplasia with multiple impacted teeth: A case report

Paranasal sinus aplasia is a rare condition. Here, we report an extremely rare case of total paranasal sinus aplasia accompanied by 18 impacted teeth. A 77-year old man presented with a complaint of diffuse swelling in the anterior maxilla. Radiographs revealed well-demarcated radiolucent cystic lesions in the swollen maxilla. However, 14 teeth were impacted in the maxilla, and 4 were impacted in the mandible. Furthermore, paranasal sinuses were completely obliterated. The patient then underwent cystectomy and five impacted anterior maxillary teeth were extracted under general anesthesia. Furthermore, no systemic diseases, including metabolic and endocrine abnormalities, and bone diseases including osteogenesis imperfecta, which may have resulted in total paranasal sinus aplasia, were identified. The patient is healthy with no maxillary osteitis 1 year after cystectomy. To our knowledge, three cases of total paranasal sinus aplasia have been reported thus far (in English); however, no studies have reported cases of total paranasal aplasia with multiple impacted teeth. Therefore, while computed tomography is required to detect total paranasal sinus aplasia, maxillary sinus aplasia can be detected through panoramic radiography in general dental practice; hence, dental practitioners should consider the possibility, since paranasal sinus aplasia may result from severe systemic diseases or syndromes.