Mouth-Antrum Junction: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate a mouth-antrum junction (MAV):

Pathognomonic (evidencing a disease).

  • Positive nasal blow test: in this test, the patient’s nose is held closed and the patient is asked to press air against the nose with the mouth open. If air now escapes from the empty alveolus (tooth compartment), there is a MAV.

Main symptoms

  • In prolonged MAV possibly signs of sinusitis maxillaris (maxillary sinusitis):
    • Purulent secretion discharge
    • Infraorbital (“located below the orbit”) pressure dolence (pressure pain).
    • Pain maximum / feeling of congestion when leaning forward.

Secondary symptoms

  • In prolonged MAV possibly signs of sinusitis maxillaris:
    • Fatigue
    • Obstructed nasal breathing
    • Fever
    • Cephalgia (headache)
    • Toothache

Warning signs (red flags)

  • Prolonged superinfected mouth-antrum connection → think of: Clinical pictures of complicated sinusitis maxillaris.