Oroantral Communication — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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EasyAnatomy (Head & Neck)Oroantral CommunicationMFDS Part 1

Following extraction of an upper first molar, a clinician identifies an oroantral communication. Which air-filled anatomical space is communicating with the oral cavity?

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Correct answer: C — Maxillary sinus

The correct answer is C, the maxillary sinus. An oroantral communication is an abnormal opening between the oral cavity and the maxillary sinus, also called the maxillary antrum. It may occur after extraction of an upper molar because the tooth roots can be separated from the floor of the maxillary sinus by only a thin layer of bone or may project close to it. The frontal, ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses do not have this direct anatomical relationship with the upper molar sockets. The mastoid air cells are situated within the temporal bone and communicate with the middle-ear cleft, not the oral cavity.

Reference: Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Surgical removal of teeth, section 'Connection created between mouth and maxillary sinus'. Updated 6 February 2024. https://www.newcastle-hospitals.nhs.uk/resources/surgical-removal-of-teeth/