Maxillary sinus lift: what does it consist of?
Maxillary sinus elevation is a surgical technique in dental implantology in patients who lack bone mass in the upper arch. What it is about is increasing the amount of bone available, with the aim that dental implants hold better. In this way, the technique enables the replacement of dental pieces in the posterior area of the upper jaw.
What are the maxillary sinuses?
The maxillary sinus is
a cavity in the upper maxillary area integrated into the paranasal sinuses. The
cavity that makes up the maxillary sinus is covered inside by mucosa. Among the
functions of the maxillary sinus are thermal protection, resonance function and
ventilation.
The presence of
maxillary sinuses makes placing implants in the maxilla difficult.
Where are they located?
As we see in the
image, the maxillary sinuses are cavities that make up the nasal sinuses of the
face. They are large cavities and have a pyramidal shape; they are located on
each side of the nostrils, behind the canine and the premolar.
Location of the
paranasal sinuses
Why do I need a sinus lift?
Sinus elevation is
performed only in patients with a lack of bone. Unfortunately, when we lose a
tooth, the bone that supports it atrophies and loses volume. In addition, the
maxillary sinus increases in size, leaving even more bone available in the
posterior area of the upper jaw. A sinus
lift for implant is a bone graft
technique that is performed in the area of the upper molars. This allows to
vertically increase the amount of bone the patient will need to have a good
hold on their implants.
Performing a CBCT scan
is very important to see both the bone that makes up the walls of the maxillary
sinus and the thickness of the membrane and where we will have to perform the
intervention. Thanks to this diagnostic imaging, the success of the sinus lift
is considerably increased.
How is a sinus lift performed?
All maxillary sinus
lift techniques are carried out under local anesthesia. However, if the patient
wishes, we can do it with conscious sedation. The operation will be painless in
both cases, and the patient will not need any special preoperative period.
Types of sinus lift: open and closed
Several surgical
techniques can be used in the maxillary sinus lift intervention. Mainly the
chosen technique will depend on the available bone.
Open sinus lift
It is performed when
the distance from the base of the bone crest to the sinus floor is less than
5mm, which does not allow implant placement. It is carried out through the
lateral wall of the sinus, creating an access window through which the bone is
inserted.
Scheme of the
open sinus lift
We carefully
elevate the Schneider membrane so as not to damage it and thus be able to
create the necessary space to add the lyophilized bone between the membrane and
the sinus floor. This bone graft is used to create your bone, which will be
achieved after 6 or 7 months.
Closed or atraumatic sinus lift
It is done when little
bone is missing, and we have at least 6mm. Then, it is performed through the
bed left by the implant preparation. In this way, the dentist uses a surgical
instrument called an osteotome to elevate Schneider's membrane and fill the
opening with freeze-dried bone.
If a certain
amount of bone is available, it is better to perform atraumatic sinus lifts.
Postoperative and recovery time
The postoperative
period of a sinus lift does not have to be painful, although it can cause
inflammation or a bruise in the operated area. The inflammation can peak up to
48 hours after the intervention, although these symptoms will disappear between
7 and 10 days after the intervention.
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with dentist
in Arlington VA to operate under our
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