Sinus Lift Procedure
The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and above the upper teeth. Sinuses are empty spaces that contain only lining membranes. 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 and low in its position, it is impossible to place dental implants in this limited bone foundation.
The solution is called a sinus graft or sinus lift and bone graft. The sinus membrane is lifted upward and bone is placed into the floor of the sinus. After several months of healing, the bone becomes part of the patient’s jaw and dental implants can be inserted and supported by this new sinus bone.
The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing loose fitting dentures.
If enough 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 as a single procedure. If the bone is thin and weak, the sinus augmentation will have to be performed first. Once the graft has matured, the implants can be placed.