Maxillary Sinus Augmentation

The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants in the upper back teeth area, when years ago there was no other option besides wearing loose dentures. 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 dental implant is the quality and quantity of alveolar bone to which the implant will be enclosed. If bone loss has occurred due to trauma or periodontal disease, a sinus augmentation can raise the sinus floor and allow for new bone formation.

In the most common sinus augmentation procedure, a small incision is made on the premolar or molar region to expose the jawbone. 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 cadaver. After the bone is implanted, the incision is stitched up, and the healing process begins. After six months of healing, the bone becomes part of the patient’s jaw, and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone.

If about 5mm or more of 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 simultaneously. In this case, the Approach used is one less invasive, using the Vertical technique or sub-crestal elevation. A Sinus lift was first described by Dr Oscar Hill Tatum in 1974, and since then, thousands of Dental Surgeons and periodontists have been performing this technique with different variations.