Maxillary sinus size and posterior tooth inclination in Japanese orthodontic patients with agenesis of maxillary second premolars.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the expansion of the maxillary sinus and the inclinations of posterior teeth in orthodontic patients with maxillary second premolar agenesis. A total of 30 subjects with one or two congenitally missing maxillary second premolars and retained maxillary deciduous second molars (a agenesis group) were selected and divided into a unilateral agenesis group (20 subjects with one maxillary second premolar missing) and a bilateral agenesis group (10 subjects with two maxillary second premolars missing). As controls, 30 sex- and age-matched subjects without agenesis of the maxillary second premolars were selected. Oblique cephalograms were used to investigate the association of maxillary second premolar agenesis and lower maxillary sinus size and posterior tooth inclinations. Agenesis of the maxillary second premolars induced significantly large lower maxillary sinus length, depth, area and mesial inclination of the maxillary first premolar, a significantly small anterior maxillary length, and a significantly more distal position for root apex of the maxillary first premolar. There were no significant differences in any measurements of the lower maxillary sinus and posterior teeth between the non-agenesis side in the unilateral agenesis group and the control group. Maxillary second premolar agenesis caused inferior and anterior expansion of the lower maxillary sinus and the mesial inclination of the maxillary first premolars with a distal position of root apex. Unilateral agenesis of the maxillary second premolar did not affect on the lower maxillary sinus size or posterior tooth inclinations of the unaffected antimere.