What is a sinus lift procedure?A sinus lift surgery or a maxillary floor sinus augmentation surgery is a bone grafting procedure performed to add bone to the upper jaw near the molars and the premolars. It raises the floor of the maxillary sinuses by moving the sinus membrane upward correcting bone height that might have been lost due to periodontal (gum) disease. Implants in the upper jaw are difficult to place especially due to poor bone quantity. The quality of the bone is also insufficient due its proximity to the sinus.Sinus lift procedures are essentially done by Sparks Dental’s specialists who are oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
Osteotome sinus lift The osteotome technique is a traditional or conservative method of sinus elevation and considered least-invasive. Also called the Summers Technique, the elevation is instantaneously followed by a dental implant. Bone grafting substance is fitted in the space between the bone and sinus floor by making a minute hole in the jaw bone. The holeis made for the dental implant and with the help of a surgical instrument, the sinus floor pushed upward through this hole.
Window sinus liftAlso known as LWT or lateral window technique, the sinus elevation procedure is necessarily followed by a healing period that can last at least up to 6 months. The technique believes that a sinus augmentation is a prerequisite to raise the maxillary posterior area which might have minimal residual bone quantity.
Crestal Window elevationCrestal Core Elevation or Crestal Window Elevation is a technique considered as a less invasive alternative to the Lateral Window Technique. The Lateral Window technique has its own limitations such as lack of visibility when the surgeon operates on the Schneiderian Membrane and accessing the sinus floor. The Crestal Window Elevation technique is predictable with low patient morbidities.
The primary use or advantage of the sinus lift procedure is its ability to correct bone height in the upper jaw. When back teeth or molars are lost, there is very little bone left for an implant. The anatomy of the skull does not permit enough bone in the upper jaw as compared to the lower jaw.
The size and shape of the sinus varies from individual to individual and it can sometimes happen that the upper jaw and the maxillary sinus are naturally too close to each other for any implants to be affixed.
Bone resorption can occur due to tooth loss. When teeth in the area are missing for too long, bone loss can be noticed with very little space for implants to be placed.