Dental implants form the foundation for restoring your missing teeth. This foundation requires sufficient, strong, healthy jawbone structure to be successful. Quite commonly, in the upper jaw because of the position of the maxillary sinus, there is insufficient vertical height of bone and bone volume for placement of an implant without some bone grafting.
The most common bone graft procedure in the upper jaw is called a sinus lift bone graft, and it makes it possible to enjoy the full benefits of dental implant reconstruction of your smile.
At Texas Oral Surgery Group, we have a broad range of experience in all the techniques for maxillary sinus bone grafting.
The maxillary sinuses are the air-filled spaces in your upper jawbone (the maxilla). The maxillary sinuses lay behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. Sometimes the roots of the upper natural 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. Depending upon how the socket heals, there may be inadequate bone structure to support an implant without bone graft augmentation.
The term sinus lift comes from the technique utilized to increase the bone volume of the upper jaw. A sinus lift is a surgical procedure whereby, a window is made into the sinus wall, and the sinus membrane is carefully lifted, and then bone graft material is placed underneath the lifted sinus membrane. This increases both the height and width of the bone available for an implant. This procedure has been performed for over 35 years and has a very good track record for creating sufficient bone structure to be able to place dental implants.
You may hear terms such as a “lateral wall approach “, “hydraulic condensation”, or “crestal approach” sinus lift grafts. These are nothing more than variations on the theme and are techniques for increasing the bone volume of the upper jaw.
A stable and long-lasting dental implant requires both quality and quantity of jawbone to attach an implant. If bone loss has occurred due to injury, tooth loss or periodontal disease, a sinus augmentation can create space for many different types of bone graft materials that will allow for new bone formation.
A sinus lift is one of the most common bone grafting procedures for patients with bone loss in the upper jaw. This is because, very few people have a lot of bone above the roots of their upper teeth. The procedure seeks to grow bone in the maxillary sinus floor above the bony ridge of the gum line that anchors the teeth in the upper jaw.
The key to a successful sinus lift bone graft is good preoperative planning, utilizing a cone beam CT radiograph, establishing the appropriate diagnosis, and then meticulously performing the procedure. When all these factors are accomplished, we can successfully develop new additional bone structure in the site where an upper tooth has been lost This enables dental implants to be placed and secured in the new bone growth.
Sinus lift bone grafting is not a difficult surgical procedure, but it does require meticulous surgical technique. Most patients choose to be asleep for the procedure, but in selected patients it can be done even under local anesthesia.
Typically, a small incision is made on the premolar or molar region to expose the jawbone. A small opening is made into the bone, and the membrane lining the sinus is pushed upward. The space under the membrane is filled with bone grafting material. The bone graft materials utilized for sinus lift procedure are allogenic bone grafts (grafts derived from human donor bone), or in some cases xenografts (grafts derived from an animal source), or collagen and calcium phosphate mineral sources.
Most patients who undergo a sinus lift bone graft have minimal postoperative pain and swelling. After several months of healing, the bone becomes an integral part of the patient’s upper jaw. After a CBCT evaluation and virtual implant planning session, we are then able to insert dental implants into the newly formed sinus bone.
If initially there is enough bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus is available to stabilize the implant sufficiently, sinus augmentations and implant placement can sometimes be performed as a single procedure. The advantage of this technique is that it shortens the overall treatment time.
If there is not enough bone available, the sinus augmentation will have to be performed first; then, the graft will have to mature for several months, depending upon the type of graft material used. Once the graft has matured, the implants can be placed.
A sinus lift may be necessary if you:
The surgeons at Texas Oral Surgery Group have over 50 years combined experience in treatment of all types of bone grafting of the face and jaw structure. Sinus lifts are one of the more common procedures that they are called upon to perform on a weekly basis. If you need a sinus lift bone graft, trust your care to the surgeons who have vast experience and highly qualified oral surgical assistants on our professional team. Call us today to learn more or schedule an appointment.
Contact Us Today!
Texas Oral Surgery Group
3713 W 15th St, #403
Plano, TX 75075
Phone: 972-596-9242
Fax: 972-612-0787
Texas Oral Surgery Group
821 E Broadway St,
Gainesville, TX 76240
Phone: 940-612-2040
Texas Oral Surgery Group
2711 Shoreline Dr, #131
Denton, TX 76210
Phone: 940-387-9015
Fax: 940-898-1649
Texas Oral Surgery Group
1305 S. FM 51, #100
Decatur, TX 76234
Phone: 940-627-2256
© Copyright 2021. Texas Oral Surgery Group. All Rights Reserved.
Website Design by: Digital Resource
