ECTOPIC TEETH IN THE PARANASAL SINUSES

In contrast to dentogenious affections of the sinus maxillaris ectopic or supernumerary teeth in the paranasal sinuses are seldom. Ectopic t heeth located at the ostium of the sinus maxillaris are rare, intranas al theeth are very rare and ectopic/supernumerary theeth in the sinus etmoidalis are a curiosity. We report about two patients with such ect opic teeth. A 55 year old woman had a rootless tooth in her right sinu s ethmoidalis which had caused a ''pseudopolyposis'' with consecutive nasal airway obstruction and severe headache. A 59 year old man had ec topic theeth in both sinus maxillaris which obstructed the left ostium , causing dumbness of the left cheek and severe headache. Both patient s have been cured by operation. However the presented patients demonst rate that even elaborated radiological efforts could not prove diagnos is. The etiology, diagnostical steps and treatment of these theeth are discussed. The surrounding soft tissue should be examined histologica lly after resection of such a thooth to prevent the development of a r esidual cyst and to notice the extremly rare development of malignanci es deriving from the highly potential tissue of the dental follicle.