Sinus Lift Procedure

The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. Sinuses are like empty rooms that have nothing in them. Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone.

There is a solution and it’s called a sinus graft or sinus lift. The dental implant surgeon enters the sinus from where the upper teeth used to be. The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and a bone substitute is inserted into the floor of the sinus along with a material known as PRP which assists the body in establishing blood flow for proper healing. Keep in mind that the floor of the sinus is the roof of the upper jaw. After several months of healing, the bone substitute is replaced by the patient’s own bone and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone.

The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing loose dentures.

If enough bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus is available to stabilize the implant well, sinus augmentations and implant placement can sometimes be performed as a single procedure. If not enough bone is available, the Sinus Augmentation will have to be performed first, then the graft will have to mature for several months, depending upon the type of graft material used. Once the graft has matured, the implants can be placed.

Appropriate bone height is required for an implant so that it may bond to a solid and secure structure. If an implant is placed in bone that is not proper in height, then it lacks the bone support to withstand normal biting forces and will fail. A sinus-lift procedure allows for the appropriate bone height to be accomplished so that an implant can be placed. (figure 1: Before sinus lift, figure 2: After sinus lift, figure 3: Completed sinus lift with implant placement)

Click on the above icon then once the window appears, click the Oral Surgery tab to view educational videos on bone grafting and sinus lifts.