Sinus Lift and Bone Grafting Surgery

Sinus and bone grafting treatment procedures can provide a robust platform for placing dental implants. Patients may require a sinus lift and bone grafting when their natural jaw deteriorates after teeth loss. These procedures have become common as more people get dental implants.

This guide covers all of the frequently asked questions such as what is a sinus lift and bone grafting, how to prepare for the surgery, how it works, possible risks, and when to seek medical attention after the surgery.

 

What is a Sinus Lift?

A sinus lift, also known as a sinus augmentation surgery, is a dental procedure that increases bone density in the spaces between molars and premolars along the jaw. This procedure is necessary when the patient doesn’t have enough bone mass on the area where the dental implant needs to be placed.

The upper jaw is particularly vulnerable to having low bone mass, which is insufficient to support a dental implant. Periodontal disease and tooth loss are the major causes of the lower bone mass and increased proximity to the sinus.

 

When Do You Need a Sinus Lift?

Your dentist can go ahead and recommend that you get a sinus lift if your jaw bone height of your upper jaw is too close to the sinus. Periodontal gum disease can aggressively affect the soft tissue that supports your teeth and gradually eats away the underlying jawbone.

The gaps left behind by lost teeth in the upper jaw can also lead to bone loss in the jawbone. These spaces will require a sinus lift to get the area prepared for the dental implant placement.

When a tooth gap can stay unplugged for more than six months, the surrounding bone gets reabsorbed into the body, and the gum spreads out to cushion the gap.

 

What Should Happen Before a Sinus Lift Surgery?

Before you undergo sinus lift surgery, your dentist will take you through all the possible bone source options. The surgery is basically a bone transplant to use the extra bone mass as a fill-up for the defective upper jawbone. The dentist can remove a piece of autogenous bone from another site on your body, such as your mouth.

If your bone structure cannot withstand the extraction, or you simply don’t want to undergo extra surgery time, you can request an allogenic bone from a cadaver or a xenograft that comes from a cow. Over the past 15 years, synthetic bone-like material has become the new norm due to its higher success guarantee than other methods.

Our dental clinic sinus lift surgeries utilize Geistlich biomaterials derived from natural materials and designed to support soft tissue and new bone growth. These biomaterials are specially developed to mimic the human tissue in the area where the transplant will later be implanted. Geisltich designed these materials to break down over time gradually, and the metabolic body processes eliminate them over the next couple of weeks after the surgery.

 

Getislich Bone Subsitiutute Pros

• The bone substitute material supports bone regeneration
• The material is made from purified bovine bone that’s very similar to human bones and gets sterilized.
• The mixture consists of only the critical hard mineral portions of the bone, and all the organic factors get removed in the manufacturing process.

 

How is Sinus Lift Surgery Performed?

In order to get acclimatized with the process, your dentist will take you through the procedure and answer any of your questions regarding the process. The surgeon will cut the gum tissue on the affected area and raise the soft tissue to expose the jawbone underneath.

A small circular incision is then made in the bone, and the piece gets lifted up, and the Schneiderian membrane gets detached from the maxillary sinus and gets pushed upwards to create the space required to grow new bone mass to the required level.

A protective Geistlich Bio-Gide membrane gets placed on the upper edge to support the growth of soft tissues. The bone cavity is then filled with substitute material such as Geistlich bio-oss. A bio guide protective membrane is then finally used to cover the bone opening.

The healing process takes about four to twelve months, during which the jawbone regrows new mass to fill up the grafted area, making it possible to place the implants finally. The prolonged healing time allows your existing bone to merge wholly and correctly fill out the required bone mass.

 

What Happens After The Sinus Lift Surgery?

Your gum tends to heal up quickly after a sinus lift, although you may experience some discomfort during the first couple of days before the swelling goes down. Light bleeding can also occur from your mouth or nose following the surgery before a protective clot forms up.

Avoid drinking from straws and sneezing or blowing your nose frequently for the next couple of days, as this might cause the bone-graft material to loosen the stitches and move around.

Following the surgery, your dentist may prescribe you pain medicine and antibiotics and antimicrobial mouthwash, which will prevent bacterial infection in the operated area. Depending on the weather, you may also require a saline spray to keep your nose moist, preventing sneezing and a prescription from preventing inflammation and nasal congestion.

 

Follow-up appointments are required after every 7-10 days after the surgery and up to a month to closely monitor the healing process as well as get the stitches removed if they fail to dissolve independently.

 

What Are the Possible Risks and Complications of a Sinus Lift?

Sinus augmentation carries a slight probability for postoperative complications that can be acute, just like any other surgery. Our dental experts will walk you through the possible complications ranging from infection to inflammation. The sinus membrane can get punctured during the operation, especially among smokers, as cigarette smoke cause the membrane to thin out. The torn sinus membrane can be stitched, and a protective patch placed over it to allow the soft tissues to heal.

Rare infection cases can also occur when the jaw bone and the bone graft material fail to integrate, preventing capillaries’ development. Such cases often require the entire procedure to be repeated. The membranes in your sinuses and nose can become inflamed when acute maxillary sinusitis occurs. The condition prevents easy drainage of the mucus from the nasal cavity. Research shows that proper caution during the procedure can prevent this temporary inflammation.

 

 When Should You See Your Dentist After a Sinus Lift?

After a sinus lift surgery, your dental specialist will schedule weekly visits to check how the sinus and soft tissues are healing. However, don’t hesitate to call a medical professional when you experience swelling or increased pain, persistent bleeding, running a fever, or dislodged bone graft material, especially after blowing the nose or sneezing.

 

Book an appointment

Having an artificial bone graft implanted during a sinus lift increases bone mass to support dental implants. With your dentist’s guidance, you will be well into your recovery in no time and have your dental implants placed within six months after the sinus lift and bone grafting surgery. Book an appointment today at our dental clinic and learn how we can restore your dental health and your beautiful smile.