Online audio-visual information on oral cancer for Spanish-speaking laypersons. A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Lack of knowledge and awareness of oral cancer seem to be the main causes of diagnostic delay. Online resources are often used by patients to obtain health/medical information. However, there are no reports on the quality and usefulness of oral cancer audio-visual resources in Spanish. The aims of this investigation were to disclose the type of information about oral cancer available, and whether it may be useful to shorten the patients' oral cancer appraisal time-interval. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study undertaken at three video-sharing sites on October, 13th 2019. KEYWORDS: "Cáncer oral"; "cáncer de boca". The first 100 results in each viewing list were retrieved by three reviewers. Demographical data was recorded, and interaction indexes, viewing rates, comprehensiveness, and usefulness were calculated for each video. The presence of non-scientifically supported information was also assessed. A descriptive analysis was undertaken, and relationships between variables were explored using the Spearman correlation test. RESULTS: A total of 127 videos were selected. They were produced mainly by mass-media (46.5%; n=59) and their length ranged from 0.28 to 105.38 minutes (median 4.15 minutes; IQR: 2.34-9.67). The most viewed video (10,599,765 views; visualization rate 726,508.9) scored 0 both in usefulness and comprehensiveness. The most useful video gathered 44,119 views (visualization rate 2.033.13). A highly significant positive correlation (0.643; p<0.001) could be observed between usefulness and comprehensiveness of the videos, together with negative correlations between the visualization rate and usefulness (-0.186; p<0.05), and visualization rate and comprehensiveness (-0.183; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Online audio-visual material about oral cancer in Spanish is incomplete, of limited usefulness, and often includes non-scientifically supported information. Most of these resources are produced by mass media and healthcare professionals, with minor contributions from educational and healthcare institutions. Visualization rates negatively correlated with the usefulness and comprehensiveness of the contents in these digital objects.

Oral cancer awareness in North-Western Spain: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: An early diagnosis depends greatly on patient awareness. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate general awareness of oral cancer and knowledge about its risk factors, signs and symptoms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional population-based survey of randomly selected respondents conducted from March 1, 2015 to 30 June 2016. RESULTS: A total of 5,727 people entered the survey (response rate: 53%). When asked what cancers participants had heard about, 20.3% mentioned oral cancer. Regarding risk factors, tobacco was mentioned by 55.3% of the sample (n=3,169), followed by alcohol (12.5%; n=708), poor oral hygiene (10.8%; n=618), diet (6.5%; n=377), and genetics (4.5%; n=248). CONCLUSIONS: General population has low awareness of oral cancer with poor knowledge of risk factors and main alarm signs. In addition, individuals in the risk group scored lower values in the main variables analysed; even those highly educated showed insufficient awareness and knowledge of oral cancer. In these circumstances, there is clear need for educational interventions tailored to the target audience and aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness of oral cancer to promote primary prevention of oral cancer and minimising the time interval of patients with symptomatic oral cancer in their path to treatment.

[Oral hygiene habits. Results of a population-based study].

Oral pathologies, in addition to being highly prevalent, have a systemic impact that can be prevented by regularly eliminating the dental biofilm. This population-based, cross-sectional study analysed the oral hygiene habits of 3,289 adults through community surveys in the four provincial capitals of Galicia between March 2015 and June 2016. Sex, level of periodontal awareness, education, tobacco habit, frequency of visits to the dentist and level of oral hygiene were registered according to the use of oral hygiene products and the frequency of their use. Oral hygiene was limited to brushing their teeth once a day in 86% of those surveyed, while regular interdental hygiene was a minority practice. The variables associated with good habits were periodontal awareness, frequent visits to the dentist, being a woman and a high educational level. Oral self-care is insufficient, especially in interdental hygiene, which justifies the need for educational interventions in the community.

People would rather see a physician than a dentist when experiencing a long-standing oral ulceration. A population-based study in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Primary care physicians have been reported to be the first choice for patients with oral ulcerations. This study investigates the health-seeking behaviour of lay public in Galicia (North-western Spain) if experiencing a long-standing oral ulceration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional population-based survey of randomly selected respondents conducted from March 1, 2015 to 30 June 2016. RESULTS: A total of 5,727 pedestrians entered the study (response rate: 53%), mostly in the 45-64 age group (30.2%; n=1,728), 47.7% of them (n=2,729) were males. Most participants (42.1%; n=2,411) reported to visit their dentist once a year and had secondary or compulsory education as their highest educational achievement (28.18%, n=1,614; 28%, n=1,600 respectively). When questioned what they would do if they had a wound/ulceration lasting longer than 3 weeks, most participants answered they would go to see their primary care physician (62.8%; n=3,597) and less than one quarter of the sample (23.8%; n=1,371) would seek consultation with their dentist. CONCLUSIONS: General Galician population would seek professional consultation about a long-standing oral ulceration, relying mostly on primary care physicians. Those neglecting these lesions are elderly, less-schooled people and unaware of oral cancer.

Therapeutic approaches for actinic cheilitis: therapeutic efficacy and malignant transformation after treatment.

Actinic cheilitis (AC) is a sun-induced premalignant lesion. AC is a clinical term housing a wide pathological spectrum ranging from hyperkeratosis to invasive squamous cell carcinoma. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the therapeutic efficacy of different approaches in clinical, histological, and cosmetic terms, and the malignization rate after treatment. A systematic search was undertaken in October 2016 and updated in April 2019 at MEDLINE (from 1966), Embase (from 1980), and Proceedings Web of Science (Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science (CPCI-S) from 1990) databases. The search strategy was (("actinic" or "solar") AND ("cheilitis")) using both medical subject headings (MeSH) and freetext. A total of 392 potentially eligible reports were identified. After the selection procedure, 20 articles were included. It was concluded that surgical treatment is the first line of treatment for AC and has proved useful for the clinical and pathological control of the disorder. However, there was no evidence of effective treatment in preventing malignant transformations. Non-surgical procedures showed less consistent results, although drug therapy may improve the results obtained by other therapeutic approaches.

Oral mucosal peeling related to dentifrices and mouthwashes: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this systematic review was to summarise the clinical information available about oral mucosal peeling (OMP) and to explore its aetiopathogenic association with dentifrices and mouthwashes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: PICOS outline. Population, subjects diagnosed clinically and/or pathologically. Intervention, exposition to oral hygiene products. Comparisons, patients using products at different concentrations. Outcomes, clinicopathological outcomes (primary) and oral epithelial desquamation (secondary) after use. Study design, any. Exclusion criteria, reports on secondary or unpublished data, in vitro studies. Data were independently extracted by two reviewers. RESULTS: Fifteen reports were selected from 410 identified. Descriptive studies mainly showed low bias risk, experimental studies mostly an "unclear risk". Dentifrices or mouthwashes were linked to OMP, with an unknown origin in 5 subjects. Sodium lauryl-sulphate (SLS) was behind this disorder in 21 subjects, tartar-control dentifrices in 2, and flavouring agents in 1 case. Desquamation extension was linked to SLS concentration. Most cases were painless, leaving normal mucosa after desquamation. Tartar-control dentifrices caused ulcerations more frequently. CONCLUSIONS: OMP management should consider differential diagnosis with oral desquamative lesions, particularly desquamative gingivitis, with a guided clinical interview together with pathological confirmation while discouraging the use of the product responsible for OMP.

Quality of cross-infection control in dental laboratories. A critical systematic review.

PURPOSE: To identify reported practices for cross-infection control in dental laboratories and to quantify the importance of the flaws encountered. DATA SOURCES: Systematic search (cross-infection AND dental laboratory) at EMBASE, PubMed, SciELO and Scopus databases. STUDY SELECTION: Papers reporting on cross-sectional studies providing original data about cross-infection knowledge, practices and attitudes of dental technicians. Papers reporting on a single laboratory or institution were excluded. DATA EXTRACTION: Data extraction was undertaken independently by three reviewers using a purpose made form. The outcome of this study was analyzed in five aspects, namely process organization, disinfection, working environment, use of individual protective equipment and vaccination policy. RESULTS OF DATA SYNTHESIS: The systematic search output was 1651 references and 11 papers were finally selected. Flaws were more frequently identified in terms of vaccination policy, biological safety of the working environment and use of individual protective equipment (100%). Slightly better results were found in terms of organization of the cross-infection control process (89.47%) and disinfection practices (85.71%). The application of the formula for disclosing the relative importance of the flaws identified in the literature prioritizes the need for interventions aimed at improving the organization of the cross-infection control procedures, followed by training in item disinfection. The control of the working environment together with the use of individual protective equipments rank closely in importance, followed by the existence of a vaccination policy. CONCLUSIONS: Sub-standard cross-contamination practices seem to be a common finding in dental laboratories, which may well compromise the quality of certain dental treatments.

Control de la infección cruzada en los laboratorios de prótesis dental de Galicia / Control of cross-contamination in dental prostheses laboratories in Galicia

Fundamento: El laboratorio dental es una fuente potencial de contaminación cruzada. Este trabajo busca evaluar su control en Galicia. Material y métodos: Entrevistas telefónicas aleatorias y voluntarias hasta completar 149 cuestionarios. Las variables se describen mediante porcentajes o medias y desviaciones típicas. Se realiza análisis bivariante empleando ji cuadrado. Resultados: Participaron mayoritariamente varones (68,5%), de mediana edad (media=45,7; DE=9,8) con 20,8 (DE=10,5) años de ejercicio en laboratorios urbanos medianos (58,4%), que cuentan mayoritariamente con protocolo escrito (57,7%) y que identifican mayor riesgo al recibir trabajos (80,6%). El 55,0% (significativamente hombres de mayor edad) no asegura la desinfección de los trabajos. La mayoría usa guantes (62,4%), sobre todo jóvenes en laboratorios grandes. Un 55,7% está vacunado frente a hepatitis B. Una minoría (22,0%) ha recibido formación en control de contaminación cruzada. Conclusiones: Las prácticas de control de contaminación cruzada se encuentran por debajo de los estándares recomendados, con un importante déficit de formación y protocolos

Background: Dental laboratories are a potential source of cross-contamination. This study aims to assess its control in Galicia. Methods: Voluntary random telephone interviews resulted in 149 completed questionnaires. The variables are described by percentages or means and standar deviations. A bivariate analysis was undertaken using the Chi square test. Results: Participants were mostly middle-age (mean=45.7, SD=9.8) males (68.5%) with 20.8 (SD=10.5) years of professional experience in middle-size urban (58.4%) laboratories, who identified a higher risk when receiving items from the clinic (80.6%). Most technicians (57.7%) have a written protocol. Many (55.0%), significantly older males, do not check for item disinfection. Most technicians use gloves (62.4%) particularly younger staff at larger laboratories. Fifty-five point seven percent had been vaccinated against hepatitis B. Only 22.0% of technicians reported receiving training in cross-contamination control. Conclusions: Identified cross-infection control practices are below standards, and lack of training and protocols are a matter for concern

[Control of cross-contamination in dental prostheses laboratories in Galicia]. / Control de la infección cruzada en los laboratorios de prótesis dental de Galicia.

BACKGROUND: Dental laboratories are a potential source of cross-contamination. This study aims to assess its control in Galicia. METHODS: Voluntary random telephone interviews resulted in 149 completed questionnaires. The variables are described by percentages or means and standard deviations. A bivariate analysis was undertaken using the Chi square test. RESULTS: Participants were mostly middle-age (mean=45.7, SD=9.8) males (68.5%) with 20.8 (SD=10.5) years of professional experience in middle-size urban (58.4%) laboratories, who identified a higher risk when receiving items from the clinic (80.6%). Most technicians (57.7%) have a written protocol. Many (55.0%), significantly older males, do not check for item disinfection. Most technicians use gloves (62.4%) particularly younger staff at larger laboratories. Fifty-five point seven percent had been vaccinated against hepatitis B. Only 22.0% of technicians reported receiving training in cross-contamination control. CONCLUSIONS: Identified cross-infection control practices are below standards, and lack of training and protocols are a matter for concern.

Oral cancer awareness in Spain: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the level of oral cancer knowledge and awareness in a Spanish general population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study using an anonymous questionnaire applied in the community to randomly selected laypersons. Sample size for the general population was determined by quota sampling, resulting in 1,041 individuals. RESULTS: A total of 1,707 pedestrians were approached (response: 61%). When the participants were asked about what cancers had they heard about (up to ten), oral cancer was mentioned in first place by 2% of the sample and by 22% in any order. When specifically asked about oral cancer, the percentage of interviewees who were familiar with it raised to 72%. Participants were also asked about the main signs or symptoms of oral cancer, and the most frequently (22%) mentioned as the first warning sign was a non-healing ulcer. Tobacco smoking generally was recognised as the most important (57%) risk factor for oral cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study revealed a low awareness of oral cancer, and a poor knowledge of its signs and symptoms and risk factors.

Shorter specialist time intervals are associated with advanced stage on symptomatic oral cancer.

OBJECTIVES: As longer times from the first symptom to diagnosis and treatment of oral cancers have been linked to poorer outcomes, this study investigates the contribution of the specialist to this time (STI). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A series of 228 oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients were retrospectively studied to determine the STI and its related factors. RESULTS: Patients were mostly males (n = 170; 74.5%), (50.7% stages I-II), mean age = 61.4 ± 12.5 years. The STI median was 6 days (X±SD:6.8 ± 5.6 days). Time first symptom to diagnosis was 64 days (X±SD:91.0 ± 84.6 days). Univariate regression unveiled a significant association between STI and TNM stage, which was confirmed by multivariate regression. CONCLUSIONS: Specialist time interval is a short time interval in oral cancer diagnosis, imposing a limited time burden in the context of the whole interval until diagnosis. However, there seems to be room for improvement and a possible target for future interventions to shorten STI particularly for patients at early stages after their disease has been disclosed.

The length of patient and primary care time interval in the pathways to treatment in symptomatic oral cancer. A quantitative systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relative length of the patient and primary care intervals in symptomatic oral cancer. DESIGN: Quantitative systematic review. SEARCH STRATEGY: Oral cancer OR oral squamous cell carcinoma OR oropharyngeal cancer AND time interval OR diagnostic delay. SETTING: Primary and secondary care. PARTICIPANTS: Oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We computed five measures (patient, primary care, diagnosis, total diagnosis and total treatment intervals). Most studies did not provide any dispersion measure. We then used the sample size of each study to compute a weighted average of the mean intervals. When the median was provided, we assumed normality of the distribution of the means and used the median as a proxy of the mean. RESULTS: A total of 1089 articles were identified, and 22 met the inclusion criteria, reporting on 2710 patients from Europe, USA, India, Australia, Japan, Argentina and Iran. The weighted average of patient interval was 80.3 days. Primary care interval was five times shorter: 15.8 days. The diagnostic interval was appreciably shorter (47.9 days) when compared with the patient interval during symptomatic period. CONCLUSIONS: Patient interval represents the major component of waiting times since the detection of the first signs/symptoms to the definitive diagnosis of oral cancer. Thus, strategies focused on high-risk patients should be prioritised. Interventions aimed at optimising the health systems should be implemented by monitoring and facilitating diagnostic and treatment pathways of patients with oral cancer.

Assessment of time intervals in the pathway to oral cancer diagnosis in north-westerm Spain. Relative contribution of patient interval.

BACKGROUND: Despite continuous advances in diagnosis and therapy, oral cancers are mostly diagnosed at advanced stages with minor survival improvements in the last two decades. Both phenomena have been attributed to delays in the diagnosis. This study aims at quantifying the time elapsed until definitive diagnosis in these patients and the patient interval's contribution. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A hospital-based, ambispective, observational study was undertaken on incident cases with a pathological diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma recruited during 2015 at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery services of CHUAC (A Coruña) and POVISA (Vigo) hospitals. RESULTS: 74 consecutive oral cancer patients (59.5% males; median age: 65.0 years (IQ:57-74)) were studied. Most cases (52.7%; n=39) were at advanced stages (TNM III-IV) at diagnosis. The period since first sign/symptom until the patient seeks health care was the longest interval in the pathway to diagnosis and treatment (median: 31.5 days; IQR= 7.0 - 61.0) and represents >60% of the interval since symptom onset until referral to specialised care (pre-referral interval). The average interval assigned to the patient resulted to be relatively larger than the time elapsed since the patient is seen at primary care until a definitive diagnosis is reached (diagnostic interval). Median of the referral interval for primary care professionals: 6.5 days (IQR= 0.0 - 49.2) and accounts for 35% (19% - 51%) of the diagnostic interval. CONCLUSIONS: The patient interval is the main component of the pathway to treatment since the detection of a bodily change until the definitive diagnosis. Therefore, strategies focused on risk groups to shorten this interval should be implemented in order to ease an early diagnosis of symptomatic oral cancer.

Actualización en medicina de familia: patología periodontal / Update in family medicine: periodontal disease

En España entre el 85-94% de la población mayor de 35 años sufre algún problema de las encías, y entre el 15-30% padece periodontitis, siendo las formas severas un 5-11% de los casos. A diferencia de otras entidades inflamatorias, la enfermedad periodontal rara vez causa molestias, limita la vida o causa alteraciones funcionales hasta que la enfermedad progresa y aparecen signos clínicos (recesión gingival, migración patológica de los dientes, movilidad) en estadios avanzados de la enfermedad. El desconocimiento de la enfermedad, ligado con la falsa creencia de que la pérdida dentaria es una causa inexorable de la edad, repercute en un diagnóstico tardío, requiriendo enfoques del tratamiento más complejos y con un peor pronóstico. En el ámbito de la medicina de atención primaria hay una serie de fármacos asociados con la enfermedad periodontal, con la presencia de agrandamiento gingival (anticonvulsivantes, inmunosupresores y bloqueadores de los canales del calcio) como efectos secundarios, con variabilidad en cuanto a su presencia y severidad en función de la cantidad de placa acumulada. El estrés y la depresión son estados que alteran la respuesta del sistema inmune y aumentan la respuesta inflamatoria, incrementando la susceptibilidad de la periodontitis. Asimismo, se han asociado una serie de enfermedades sistémicas a la periodontitis, entre las que se encuentran la diabetes mellitus, la enfermedad cardiovascular, las enfermedades respiratorias y las complicaciones de la gestación (AU)

About 85-94% of the Spanish adults older than 35 experience gum problems, and about 15-30% suffer from periodontitis, being severe in up to 5-11% of them. Unlike other inflammatory conditions, periodontal disease rarely causes discomfort, or limits life or causes functional limitations until its advanced stages, when clinical signs and symptoms arise (gingival recession, pathological teeth migration, or mobility). Lack of knowledge about the disease, together with the idea that tooth loss is linked to ageing, frequently results in a late diagnosis, requiring extensive treatments with a worse prognosis. At Primary Care level, there is series of drugs have been related to periodontal disease (anticonvulsants, immunosuppressive drugs, and calcium channel blockers) as secondary effects, which vary as regards their frequency and severity depending of the amount of accumulated plaque. Stress and depression have also been reported to alter the immune response and to increase the inflammatory response as well as periodontal susceptibility. Certain systemic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory diseases, as well as low-weight pre-term birth, have also been linked to periodontitis (AU)

[Update in family medicine: Periodontal disease]. / Actualización en medicina de familia: patología periodontal.

About 85-94% of the Spanish adults older than 35 experience gum problems, and about 15-30% suffer from periodontitis, being severe in up to 5-11% of them. Unlike other inflammatory conditions, periodontal disease rarely causes discomfort, or limits life or causes functional limitations until its advanced stages, when clinical signs and symptoms arise (gingival recession, pathological teeth migration, or mobility). Lack of knowledge about the disease, together with the idea that tooth loss is linked to ageing, frequently results in a late diagnosis, requiring extensive treatments with a worse prognosis. At Primary Care level, there is series of drugs have been related to periodontal disease (anticonvulsants, immunosuppressive drugs, and calcium channel blockers) as secondary effects, which vary as regards their frequency and severity depending of the amount of accumulated plaque. Stress and depression have also been reported to alter the immune response and to increase the inflammatory response as well as periodontal susceptibility. Certain systemic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory diseases, as well as low-weight pre-term birth, have also been linked to periodontitis.

Diameter of alveolar antral artery in the lateral sinus wall: study of related factors.

To identify the variables that influence the diameter of the artery in the lateral sinus wall, we studied 240 sinuses, focusing on sex, pattern of tooth loss, type of residual crest, thickness of the lateral wall, height and width of the ridge, and width of the sinus.

Key points and time intervals for early diagnosis in symptomatic oral cancer: a systematic review.

The aim of this study was to identify key points and time intervals in the patient pathway to the diagnosis of oral cancer, from the detection of a bodily change to the start of treatment. A systematic search of three databases was performed by two researchers independently. Articles reporting original data on patients with symptomatic primary oral or oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma that was pathologically confirmed were included. These articles had to include an outcome variable of 'diagnostic delay', 'time interval', or 'waiting time to diagnosis', or report time intervals from first symptom to treatment. Furthermore, the outcome variable had to have a clearly defined start point and end point, with the time measurement presented as a continuous or categorical variable. A total of 1175 reports were identified; 28 articles on oral cancer studies and 13 on oral and oropharyngeal cancer studies were finally included. These papers showed poor quality in terms of questionnaire validation, acknowledgement of biases influencing time-point measurements, and strategies for verification of patient self-reported data. They also showed great heterogeneity. The review findings allowed the definition of key points and time intervals within the Aarhus framework that may better suit the features of the diagnostic process of this neoplasm, particularly when assessing the impact of waiting time to diagnosis.

Distance of the alveolar antral artery from the alveolar crest. Related factors and surgical considerations in sinus floor elevation.

BACKGROUND: In a variable proportion of maxillary sinuses alveolar antral artery is located close to the residual ridge, increasing the chances for haemorrhagic complications during sinus floor elevation procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective observational study of CBCT explorations performed for implant-treatment planning. The upper first molar area was selected for this study. The relative uncertainty (standard deviation of the measurement divided by its mean and expressed as a percentage from 0% to 100%) was chosen for determining the observational errors. For modeling the chances of AAA detection, the generalized additive models (GAM) approach was chosen. RESULTS: A total of 240 maxillary sinuses were studied (46.25% males) whose median median age was 58 years old (IQR: 52-66). Univariate models showed that the chances for an AAA-alvelar crest distance ≤15mm increase in wider sinuses with lower, subsinusally edentulous crests. When distance is considered as a continuous variable, the best mutivariate model showed an explained deviance of 67% and included AAA diameter, distance AAA-sinus floor, sinus width, and shape, height and width of the residual ridge. Thinner AAAs are found closer to the crest (within the ≤15mm safe distance). CONCLUSIONS: Bearing in mind the inclusion criteria and the limitations of this investigation, it is concluded that there is a high proportion of maxillary sinuses where AAA describes a course close to the alveolar crest (≤15mm), which was classically considered a safe distance for SFE. This position is related to the presence of atrophic crests (depressed ridge form) and wide maxillary sinuses where the distance of the vessel to the floor of the sinus is small. This information may permit a better surgical planning of SFE procedures.

Detection of the posterior superior alveolar artery in the lateral sinus wall using computed tomography/cone beam computed tomography: a prevalence meta-analysis study and systematic review.

A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Proceedings Web of Science was undertaken to assess the prevalence of the posterior superior alveolar artery (PSAA) in the lateral sinus wall in sinus lift patients, as identified using computed tomography (CT)/cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). For inclusion, the article had to report PSAA detection in the bony wall using CT and/or CBCT in patients with subsinus edentulism. Studies on post-mortem findings, mixed samples (living and cadaveric), those presenting pooled results only, or studies performed for a sinus pathology were excluded. Heterogeneity was checked using an adapted version of the DerSimonian and Laird Q test, and quantified by calculating the proportion of the total variance due to between-study variance (Ri statistic). Eight hundred and eleven single papers were reviewed and filtered according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Ten studies were selected (1647 patients and 2740 maxillary sinuses (study unit)). The pooled prevalence of PSAA was 62.02 (95% confidence interval (CI) 46.33-77.71). CBCT studies detected PSAA more frequently (78.12, 95% CI 61.25-94.98) than CT studies (51.19, 95% CI 42.33-60.05). Conventional CT revealed thicker arteries than CBCT. It is concluded that PSAA detection is more frequent when CBCT explorations are used. Additional comparative studies controlling for potential confounding factors are needed to ascertain the actual diagnostic value of radiographic explorations for assessing the PSAA prior to sinus floor elevation procedures.