Introduction :
Maxillary sinus grafting was first described by Dr. Hilt Tatum who modified the Caldwell–Luc technique in the 1970s, and it has been recognized as a procedure with high predictability to date (1).
Many factors can influence the difficulty and complexity of this intervention and must be thoroughly assessed before a lateral sinus augmentation, such as the presence of a bony septum, the location of the alveolar antral artery, the thickness of the schneiderian membrane, and more rarely the presence of a sinus osteoma.
Craniofacial osteomas may appear on any bone of the cranium or face or within a paranasal sinus. Osteomas within the paranasal sinus are relatively rare, they are found in 0.01% to 0.43% of patients; of these, up to 80% occur in the frontal sinus (2).
The maxillary sinus is involved in less than 2% of all cases, it usually appears on the lateral wall of the sinus (3).
The current paper will present and discuss the management of a unitary posterior edentulim (tooth 16) with a severe vertical defect and the presence of an osteoma on the lateral wall of the sinus regarding the edentulous site.