Is the Maxillary Sinus Really Suitable in Sex Determination? A Three-Dimensional Analysis of Maxillary Sinus Volume and Surface Depending on Sex and Dentition

The morphometric analysis of maxillary sinus was recently presented as a helpful instrument for sex determination. The aim of the present study was to examine the volume and surface of the fully dentate, partial, and complete edentulous maxillary sinus depending on the sex. Computed tomography data from 276 patients were imported in DICOM format via special virtual planning software, and surfaces (mm2) and volumes (mm3) of maxillary sinuses were measured. In sex-specific comparisons (women vs men), statistically significant differences for the mean maxillary sinus volume and surface were found between fully dentate (volume, 13,267.77 mm3 vs 16,623.17 mm3, P < 0.0001; surface, 3480.05 mm2 vs 4100.83 mm2, P < 0.0001) and partially edentulous (volume, 10,577.35 mm3 vs 14,608.10 mm3, P = 0.0002; surface, 2980.11 mm2 vs 3797.42 mm2, P < 0.0001) or complete edentulous sinuses (volume, 11,200.99 mm3 vs 15,382.29 mm3, P < 0.0001; surface, 3118.32 mm2 vs 3877.25 mm2, P < 0.0001). For males, the statistically different mean values were calculated between fully dentate and partially edentulous (volume, P = 0.0022; surface, P = 0.0048) maxillary sinuses. Between the sexes, no differences were only measured for female and male partially dentate fully edentulous sinuses (2 teeth missing) and between partially edentulous sinuses in women and men (1 teeth vs 2 teeth missing). With a corresponding software program, it is possible to analyze the maxillary sinus precisely. The dentition influences the volume and surface of the pneumatic maxillary sinus. Therefore, sex determination is possible by analysis of the maxillary sinus event through the increase in pneumatization.