Sinus Lift
What is a sinus lift?
The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. These sinuses are empty, air-filled spaces. 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.
The key to a successful and long-lasting dental implant is the quality and quantity of jaw bone to which the implant will be attached. If bone loss has occurred due to injury or periodontal disease, a sinus augmentation can raise the sinus floor and allow for new bone formation. A sinus lift is one of the most common bone grafting procedures for patients with bone loss in the upper jaw. The procedure seeks to grow bone in the floor of the maxillary sinus above the bony ridge of the gum line that anchors the teeth in the upper jaw. This enables dental implants to be placed and secured in the new bone growth.
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Am I a candidate for a sinus lift procedure?
A sinus lift may be necessary if you:
- are missing more than one tooth in the back of your jaw
- are missing a significant amount of bone in the back of your jaw
- are missing teeth due to a birth defect or condition
- are missing most of the maxillary teeth and require support for dental implants
How is a sinus lift accomplished?
Most commonly, a small incision is made on the premolar or molar region to expose the jaw bone. A small opening is cut into the bone, and the membrane lining the sinus is pushed upward. The underlying space is filled with bone grafting material, either from your own body or from a other sources. Sometimes, synthetic materials that imitate bone formation are used. After the bone is implanted, the incision is sutured and the healing process begins. After several months of healing, the bone becomes part of the patient’s jaw and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in the newly formed sinus bone.
If enough bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus is available to sufficiently stabilize the implant, 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 up to several months, depending upon the type of graft material used. Once the graft has matured, the implants can be placed.
The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants that previously had no other option besides wearing loose dentures.
A sinus augmentation is generally performed at Dr. Fear and Dr. Fear‘s office, under local anesthesia. Some patients may request oral or intravenous sedative medication as well.
Ready To Book A Consultation?
Contact our office today to schedule an appointment!
Legacy Oral and Facial Surgery Center Office Phone Number (734) 210-0677 Book Online
Legacy Oral and Facial Surgery Center
Our Latest Patient Testimonial
Great Job!
- Praskovya N
Our Latest Patient Testimonial
Got me in as soon as I called, severe pain, bad wisdom tooth, complications "Can you be here in 45 minutes? Absolutely. Couldn't be any smoother or professional from the start. Top level facility and service. This Doc., Doctor Dalbert Fear is the most compassionate Doctor I have encountered in my 63 year lifetime. I had an impacted 3rd molar that was infected trying to grow a wrong direction in my jawbone that was a very tough surgery. Consequently the lingual nerve that affects the tongue was disturbed in the process and caused excruciating pain and numbness after the 1st surgery. The 2nd molar also had to be extracted because of this. Doctor Fear took an immidiate interest in solving this issue in any way possible, after 2 more encounters into general anesthesia the reason for the excruciating pain, inability to swallow or talk was discovered and Dr. Fear solved the problem of not being able to swallow, eat or talk for 3 weeks. It has been the most traumatizing medical emergency of my life and this man and his staff stuck with me every day, every minute until the pain problem was solved. The surgery that was performed was a very hard issue as the lingual nerve passes right by where the tooth had to be extracted, Trust me when I tell you, you NEVER want to experience this kind of pain. I have drilled a hole through my hand with a #8 size drill bit, had broken ribs, dislocated shoulder, broken collar bone, deviated septum surgery under local anesthesia, broken bones in my right hand, and foot, 4 root canals, 3 tooth implants. All of these events were a square dance compared to this. I NEVER thought or knew that pain like this was possible and the good Doctor and his staff kept me as comfortable and pain free as possible with any medications that were required or additional surgeries or other tasks that needed to be performed. The postoperative care that I received and continue to receive from Legacy Oral and Facial Surgery Center after this procedure is certainly nothing like I have experienced in any other medical health care facility, Emergency Room trauma center, hospital or any other doctor in my lifetime. Absolutely the best care I have ever received, and continue to receive from this facility and staff. Dr. Fear has told me personally that he is on this with us until it is completly solved. Millions of thank you's to Dr. Fear, and all the nurses, professionals and office staff that have helped me and my wife through this very trying time through the Christmas holiday season with this injury. We Thank you very sincerely, Mark & Ruby D.
- Mark D
Our Latest Patient Testimonial
Dr Fear is an amazing man. I am 78 yrs old and have a rare type of lymphoma, and he immediately understood, how it behaved (very rare for anyone to know this) the impact of it and helped me decide what to do. He was so kind! It is refreshing to have an oral surgeon who also understands your general health and takes it into consideration in the process. I was in so much pain from a week of attempted root canals at an endodontist. But the tooth wouldn't cooperate and the abscess was getting larger.. But the extraction procedure was fast! The tooth popped, he was able to remove the infection from the abscess, and stitch it up in record time. He was a life saver for me. And the nurse (short blond hair can't remember her name) who took care of me was so fabulous. She really looked out for me through the whole process. Thanks to both of you and your staff.
- Judith S