What is a Sinus Lift

January 16, 2019

A sinus lift, in name alone, sounds like a traumatic procedure that nobody would want to undergo under any circumstance. Read and explore more:

What Is a Sinus Lift?

Sinus augmentation is an important procedure for patients who want to support dental implants but don’t have enough healthy bone. More commonly called a sinus lift, it is necessary in cases where tooth loss has led to bone shrinkage and an enlarged sinus cavity.

When Is a Sinus Lift Necessary?

  • Not enough room to place an implant due to small jaw size
  • Large sinus, resulting in little room for dental implant
  • Bone loss, bone damage or pathology, such as tumors or cysts
  • Anatomical considerations, such as location of sinuses, nerves, blood vessels and roots of adjacent teeth

What Steps Are Required to Prepare for a Sinus Lift?

Before you have this procedure number of diagnostic tests is done that include dental x-rays and a CT scan. This will show precisely where the need to add the additional bone is and it also helps pinpoint where other important structures in your jawbone are located such as nerves and blood vessels. The actual bone used during surgery is likely to be artificial and will contain special growth proteins designed to stimulate your body to produce more bone.

How Is the Procedure Done?

The elevation lifts the sinus floor and a bone graft, adds more density for successful implant placement and retention. The extra bone material is used to fill in the sinus cavity. Your implant dentist will either extract your own bone or use tissue from animals, human cadavers or synthetic material.

What Do I Need to Do After a Sinus Lift?

  • Keep your head elevated to help reduce bleeding and swelling after your operation.
  • Some bleeding is normal for 2 to 3 days after your operation. If you think you are bleeding a lot, be sure to call your doctor.
  • Don’t blow your nose for at least a week after surgery.
  • If you have to sneeze, try doing it with your mouth open.
  • Don’t take aspirin. It slows clotting and increases bleeding.
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