Sinus Lifting

Sinus lifting surgery is a procedure to add bone mass into the upper jawbone to ensure successful implantation of dental implants by replacing back molars. Sinus augmentation involves lifting the sinus membrane into the sinus cavity to make room for a bone graft in the jawbone. Sinus lift surgery is performed by a periodontist or maxillofacial surgeon.

A Good Candidate for Sinus Lifting

Patients who are good candidates for dental implants are if there is not enough jawbone or if the sinuses are too close to the jawbone for the implants to be inserted. The jawbone may be insufficient to support implants due to bone re-absorption following tooth loss or tooth extraction, the structure of the jawbone or bone loss caused by gum disease.

Sinus Lifting Procedure

Sinus lift procedures involve lifting the sinus membranes and inserting a bone graft into the upper jaw to increase the depth of the jawbone. Periodontists make an incision in the gum line of the upper jaw and pull the gum back to reveal the jawbone near the back molars. A section of this bone is cut to make a hinge used to push the sinus membrane into the sinus cavity.

The empty space remaining where the sinus membrane was is filled with a bone graft. The dental implant can be placed into the extra bone mass.

Sinus augmentation procedures are completed in 1-3 hours depending on the amount of grafted bone that is added.