Surgery
Sinus lift (sinus lift and bone augmentation)
What is a sinus lift; should I be worried?
A sinus lift refers to the augmentation or lifting up of the maxillary sinus to make more room for new bone. There is nothing to worry about if you are told you need this procedure. Maxillofacial surgeons use proven surgical techniques that are safe and very effective.
The reason you might need a sinus lift is to replace bone that has been lost or which is deficient in the area around your sinuses. Your sinuses are cavities filled with empty air located on either side of your nose and can affect dental implants used to replace missing posterior teeth of the upper jaw. The jaw bone in this area tends to be thinner than in other areas of the jaw bone, so it may be that there was never enough bone in the first place, but very often, there was bone loss after the teeth were removed. This happens because the roots of natural teeth provide the necessary stimulation for the jaw to continue rebuilding old bone cells. When the tooth roots are removed, this stimulation is lost, and bone resorption can occur quickly. A sinus lift is an excellent treatment to replace this lost bone and will ensure that there are plenty of healthy and strong bones for dental implants. It is just a small surgical procedure, and you can be sure that you will be completely comfortable throughout the process.
When is bone augmentation needed?
Possible causes of bone loss:
- removal of a tooth;
- tooth missing for a long time
- periodontal diseases;
- cysts.
When the teeth are lost, the surrounding bone then this area needs to be rebuilt, so implants are to be placed in that area. Different types of bone augmentation can be required in different situations. Not everyone needs this as part of their treatment; in fact, most implant treatments do not require bone augmentation.