Sinus Lift Surgery for the Placement of Dental Implants

Dental implants function as artificial tooth roots, on top of which prostheses such as crowns, bridges or dentures can be placed. Although they are one of the most popular methods for supporting replacement teeth, they are not suitable for everyone. You must have be in good oral health and have enough jawbone to make the surgery a success. If you have insufficient bone for dental implant surgery, you may need to undergo sinus lift surgery.

Also known as sinus augmentation, sinus lift surgery adds bone to your upper jaw in the area of your missing molars and/or premolars. Your dental surgeon will cut the gum where your back teeth used to be and raise it to expose the bone. He will then create a small window in the bone and push the membrane lining the sinus up and away from your jaw before filling it with granules of bone-graft material. This material may come from your own body, a cadaver or a cow. If your own bone is to be used, it will usually be taken from other areas of your mouth. Following inserting the bone-graft material, your dental surgeon will stitch up the window in the bone. He will then leave the area to heal.

Depending on your individual needs, you may need to undergo a sinus lift four to 12 months before dental implant surgery. When placed following a sinus lift, your dental implants should last for many years.

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