Prevalence of indication for lateral approach sinus floor augmentation in maxillary molar tooth deficiency: a retrospective study

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the frequency of lateral approach sinus floor augmentation (LASFA) in patients missing at least one maxillary molar, based on assessments of residual vertical bone height (RVBH) and maxillary sinus anatomy using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). A total of 402 CBCT scans meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed, encompassing 458 maxillary sinuses. The RVBH was measured on ten equidistant mesiodistal slices beneath the maxillary sinus, and the mean value was recorded as the RVBH for each site. Patients were divided equally by sex and into four age groups (18–28, 29–39, 40–50, and > 50 years). Those with RVBH ≤ 5 mm were classified as requiring LASFA, and those with RVBH > 5 mm as not requiring the procedure. LASFA was indicated in 28.2% of patients, whereas 71.8% did not require it. The mean RVBH was 7.68 ± 3.69 mm (range: 1.31–19.73 mm). Age distribution showed no significant difference between groups (p = 0.714), whereas gender distribution did (p = 0.017), with a higher proportion of males requiring LASFA (58.9%) compared with females (41.1%). Within the study limitations, a substantial proportion of patients with maxillary molar tooth deficiency required LASFA. While RVBH exhibited a slight downward trend with advancing age, it was found to be higher in males than in females. These findings highlight the critical importance of pre-operative RVBH assessment via CBCT to ensure precise surgical planning.