Clinical implications of the topography and distribution of the posterior superior alveolar artery.

The aim of this study was to clarify the arrangement of the anatomic courses and distribution of the intraosseous branch (IObr) of posterior superior alveolar artery. The anatomic variations in the topographic relationships were described to provide beneficial data to minimize injury to the IObr during surgical procedure of the buccal wall of the maxillary sinus. The IObrs in 42 hemifaces of embalmed Korean cadavers were examined. The courses of the IObr of the posterior superior alveolar artery were classified into 2 categories: the straight (type 1) and the U-shaped (type 2). The type 1 was the most common (78.1%), and the type 2 was observed in 21.9% of the specimens. The minimum mean height from the cervix to the IObr was 21.1 mm in the first molar region. The IObr ran at the lowest level from the maxillary sinus floor at the first premolar region. These anatomic findings in the current study could represent useful information for the various surgical procedures of the maxilla.