While a sinus lift is sometimes required for a dental implant, this procedure’s name is enough to scare off some patients. However, a sinus lift is actually a very routine surgery, needed when there’s not enough bone in the upper rear jaw to support an implant. It enables a surgeon to place a bit of new bone below the sinus so that an implant is more secure.
Why a Dental Implant May Need a Sinus Lift
Because a dental implant needs stable bone, as you can read at nidcr.nih.gov, around it to provide durable support, it might not work well in certain areas of the mouth. For instance, the sinus can be right above the upper rear teeth in the back jaw.
In these cases, the bone can be too thin or low to hold a dental implant for a variety of reasons. These reasons may include the fact that:
- The jawbone loses volume after a tooth is lost
- Gum disease may have led to bone loss
- The patient’s sinus cavity may sit abnormally low
- The patient’s jaw may have a naturally thin bone ridge in the upper rear jaw
It may not be practical or ideal to place a dental implant right away in some of these situations. In these cases, a sinus lift is necessary in order to build up that area.
What a Sinus Lift Does
In patients who require a sinus lift, a surgeon won’t actually lift the sinus itself. Instead, a surgeon will lift the sinus membrane, a thin lining that covers the bottom of the sinus, and will place bone grafting material under it.
Over time, this material will fuse with the jaw bone, and will increase its height and bulk in order for a dental implant to be able to provide robust long-term support.
What Happens During a Sinus Lift
Understanding how sinus lift works can help you know what to expect during the procedure. A sinus lift is typically done with a local anesthetic to make the area numb and the patient comfortable. A surgeon will start by cutting a small incision into the gum tissue of the upper rear jaw. He or she will then access the bone and form a small window to the sinus area.
The sinus membrane will be gently raised, and a bone grafting material, resembling the bone, will be inserted into space, and the area will be closed for healing to begin.
bone graft material placed below the sinus membrane
In some instances, the dental implant can also be placed during this same procedure. In other cases, the patient will need several months to heal. It depends on how much bone the patient already has and how much more is needed.
How a Sinus Lift Heals
One of the most essential elements of a sinus lift is for patients to be given ample time to heal before they receive a dental implant. The graft bone will need to stabilize and develop for some time prior to it being able to sustain the support of an implant for a prosthetic tooth. How long this period will be will vary according to the patient’s overall health and how extensive the bone graft is.
For the most part, patients are instructed to not blow out their nose, as this might put too much pressure on the graft. Regular follow-up visits will occur to monitor the patient and ensure recovery is going well.
What to Expect After a Sinus Lift
Patients often feel minor discomfort, experience bleeding, and/or feel sinus pressure after (read full report) a sinus lift procedure. The best way to help ensure you’re healing properly is to follow all of your dentist’s instructions post-op.
Some items to keep in mind to help healing include:
- Using prescribed medications the way the dentist instructed you
- Keeping the mouth area clean and dry
- Not straining or applying too much pressure to the graft area
- Scheduling routine post-op checkups
- Calling the dentist’s office right away if you have severe pain or abnormal sinus symptoms
While the gum tissue typically heals fast, the bone will take a bit more time to fully recover.
A Solid Base for a Dental Implant
A sinus lift may be an excellent option if there’s not enough bone in the upper jaw to support a dental implant. In this procedure, a surgeon will take a section of the sinus membrane and lift it, while also inserting bone graft material to create a sturdy foundation for the dental implant and long-term restorative care.
