Sinus Lift Surgery
A sinus lift is a special type of bone graft. It is considered when you are missing teeth in the middle or back of the upper jaw.
The maxillary sinuses are situated above the upper jaw, on either side of the nose. They are aerated spaces that have several functions. One of the functions of the maxillary sinuses is is respiration-related: the sinuses are lined with cells that help to warm and humidify inspired air, and also trap bacteria and viruses and prevent them from going further into the lungs.
As we age, the sinuses become “pneumatized.” This means that they enlarge, and can sometimes encroach on the bone of the upper jaw.
After teeth are lost in this part of the jaw, sometimes the bone that is left at this site is just too short to accept implants. This is determined by taking a 3D scan, called a cone beam CT scan. If this is the case, a sinus lift may be indicated.
In a sinus lift, the surgeon pushes up the membrane in the floor of your sinus. Care is taken not to perforate the sinus membrane. Once this is done, bone graft material is placed into the space that was created. This bone graft matures over the next 3-6 months, and after this time, a dental implant can be placed. In some cases, a dental implant can be placed at the same time that a sinus lift is performed.
This surgery is done in the office. You may have local anesthesia only, laughing gas, or IV sedation. Either way, we will make sure you are comfortable throughout.
After the sinus lift is done, you must be very careful to follow “sinus precautions.” This means you are not allowed to blow your nose, as well as other actions that put pressure on the sinuses, while the bone graft in the sinus is healing. Of course, smoking after any surgical procedure is going to put you at higher risk of complications and failure of the graft.