Today, dental implants are a popular option for replacing missing teeth. Nevertheless, for some people, implant placement is not possible due to an insufficient bone volume in their jaws. Sinus lift surgery might therefore be required to provide an anchor base strong enough to accommodate a dental implant.

In this article, the Clinique MFML maxillofacial specialists will explain what a sinus lift is and what this procedure involves.

Is sinus lift required for dental implants?

Just like muscles are stimulated by exercise, jawbones are stimulated by the roots of teeth. When a tooth is extracted, its root can no longer stimulate the jawbone, which causes the jawbone to recede over the years.

Consequently, following tooth loss, a sinus lift is required in order to prepare the patient’s jaw to receive a dental implant. Sinus lift surgery involves lifting the sinus membrane and then proceeding with a bone graft to increase the amount of bone in the jaw.

Several months after the surgery, once the bone deficit is restored, an operation can be scheduled with a maxillofacial surgeon to insert a dental implant.

Why is a sinus lift needed for dental implants?

Maxillary sinus membranes are air-filled cavities located just before the upper jawbone. When teeth are missing, the maxillary sinus membranes tend to expand and take up space, reducing bone mass and often compromising implant placement. In some of the most severe cases, the amount of jawbone can be as little as 1 or 2 millimeters in length. A sinus lift must be considered in these cases.

In order to determine whether you need this operation, the maxillofacial surgeon will carry out a complete oral examination, using tools such as the 3D radiology machine.

Sinus lift procedure

Sinus lift surgery is usually carried out under a local anesthesia, or sometimes under intravenous sedation at the patient’s request if the health professional agrees. Once the anaesthetic has been administered, the procedure is carried out as follows:

The surgeon makes a small incision in the upper gum tissue
The sinus membrane gum tissue is carefully raised to create enough space
This space is filled with a bone graft. The bone graft can come from the patient, from a donor, or be made from a synthetic material.
The bone graft is then covered with a collagen membrane to hold the elevated sinus membrane in place.
The incision is then sealed using stitches.

Performing sinus lift surgery helps to attach dental implants properly to the jaw. This operation gives people, who would not otherwise have access to implants, the opportunity to experience their many benefits.

Sinus lift surgery and dental implants at Clinique Maxillo

Sinus lift surgery is a common maxillofacial procedure that can be recommended to treat bone deficiency in the jaw. This operation frees up space for a bone graft to be inserted so that the regeneration of bone tissue can be stimulated. This allows future dental implants to firmly attach to the jaw.

If you are considering a dental implant after losing a tooth a long time ago, you may need to have a sinus lift.

To be sure, contact Clinique MFML to book a consultation appointment with one of our maxillofacial surgery specialists.