Hole in Maxilla/Sinus

[jonbr]

My wife recently found what appeared to be a cyst on her upper jaw and went in to get it biopsied by an oral surgeon.

During the biopsy, it was discovered that it wasn't a cyst at all, but an area of deformed bone stemming from a root-canal 18 years earlier. According to the oral surgeon, it appeared that some sort of infection got into the area near the root canal and that this ultimately formed a hole between the upper jaw and sinus (it was also suggested that equalizing during diving might have helped form the hole near the infected area...) Apparently this caused some bone to move over time, which is what caused the "bump" that looked like but was not in fact a cyst.

She's going back in 2 weeks to have the area repaired, but the oral surgeon hasn't yet indicated how this might be done. When diving was discussed, the surgeon said it "might be possible again in a year." Obviously, this isn't too encouraging.

I was wondering if anyone has had experience with this sort of situation and what sort of treatments are available (other than that the tooth in that area would probably need to be covered with a bridge). Before the surgeon does further work on it to close up/repair the hole we'd like to know if anyone is aware of some of the options available so that we can proceed with some knowledge. Is it possible to someday return to diving following damage that opens up a hole between the maxilla and sinus?

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi jonbr,

An opening between a diseased tooth socket in the maxilla and the maxillary sinus can be repaired using several techniques, including filling/covering the opening with tissue grafted from the patient's own body or with artificial biomaterial. The oral surgeon will be able to explain the procedure in detail once s/he decides upon the best technique.

Given successful closure and healing, there is no apparent reason why a healthy and fit diver would not be cleared to dive. Normal equalization techniques should pose no threat to the repair once it is completely healed. While the timing of return is best left to the surgeon, a year delay between surgery and return to scuba seems extremely conservative. If all goes uneventfully, a period on the order of six months may be found to suffice. The doctor or patient may contact DAN [(919) 684-2948, Mon-Fri, 9AM-5PM EST; https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/myaccount/mscc/emailmedic.asp) for their take on the resumption of diving post-repair.

Helpful?

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

Regards,

DocVikingo