Sinus Lift
Hospital Stay: Immediate leave after treatment
Treatment Duration: 1.5 – 2 hours
Anesthesia Type: Local anesthetic
Recovery Time: 1 – 2 weeks
Success Rate: 95%
Sinus Lift What Is It?
A sinus lift is a medical procedure that is essentially applicable to patients who severely lack enough bone tissue for their dental implants, usually under the upper jaw or maxillary as it is known in medical circles.
For the procedure to be executed perfectly, the surgeon uses bone-filling materials which get inserted in the maxillary sinuses. The surgeon air-fills the upper jaw which is next to the patient’s nose just above the upper premolar and molar teeth, and below the eye. There’s a thin membrane that lines the bone inside the sinuses and this is what is raised to make space for the needed bone and dental implants.
Why You Might Need Sinus Lift Surgery
Be it from natural birth defects or unforeseen accidents, there are people who do not have the back teeth in their upper jaw and consequently are lacking enough bone material for implants to be placed.
Sinus lift surgeries are needed because they present the possibility to provide enough bone tissue under the patient’s sinuses for the placement of dental implants at the back of the upper jaw. There are other reasons as well why you might need a sinus lift surgery and this could be loss of bone due to gum disease.
Candidates For Sinus Lift Procedure
The candidates that qualify for a sinus lift procedure are healthy patients of relatively mature age who do not have enough bone density for the surgeon to perform dental implants.
Sinus Lift Treatment Risks
As with most dental procedures, anything that involves surgery comes with a relative amount of risks, and bearing this in mind some sinus lift treatment risks include but are not limited to:
- Dry mouth
- Scarring and infections
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Anesthesia risks
- Fogginess
- No memory of the procedure being performed
Recovery After Sinus Lift Operation
The recommended recovery time after a sinus lift is 3-10 days of rest. The full recovery time goes up to 6 months.
Types of Sinus Lift Procedure
This is a delicate procedure and there are various types of sinus lift procedure. There are mainly two types of sinus lift procedures
The horizontal (lateral window) sinus lift
During this procedure, the surgeon opens a “window” on the side wall bone of the maxillary sinus, which would have been lifted from the sinus membrane. It is then grafted in by crushing the bone collected from the long bone between the mucosa and the bone.
The vertical (crystal window) sinus lift.
This approach is peculiar to the lateral window sinus lift because it requires enough bone height to keep the dental implant steady as the implant is required in this technique to pivot up the sinus membrane, making sure that the graft matures into the host bone which covers the whole implant.
How Is Sinus Lift Procedure Performed?
A sinus lift involves the elevation of the maxillary sinus which makes room for dental implants to rest without any complications. In medical circles, this is the most preferred method as it is applied to a patient who does not have sufficient bone height at the upper-level jaw where the implant is to be placed.
It is important to note the sinuses in your upper jaw are the air-filled spaces lying next to the nose, above the upper premolar and molar teeth, and below the eye. A thin membrane is then used to line up the bone inside which is then lifted during the sinus lift treatment to create space for bone and dental implants.
How To Prepare For Sinus Lift?
Consultation for the Sinus Lift treatment
This is the most important stage of your whole procedure; before anything else is done you need to submit as much information as you can. This is where you will be asked to disclose if you have ever had any past health complications or pre-existing conditions and scans are taken of your jaw area.
And this stage, the pictures from the scan will likely show a lack that there’s likely insufficient jawbone density. This information will better inform the surgeon on how best to customize the treatment to your specific needs.
Planning Your Trip and Choosing the Clinic
For most people, this is the most enjoyable stage or in some cases the most stressful but essentially it is where you choose the clinic where you’ll have the treatment. This also includes choosing a dentist in Turkey for the best dental implants in Turkey.
Final Consultation with your Surgeon
Meeting your surgeon on a face-to-face consultation is also an important stage and this is where some of the questions get very personal. It is here that the surgeon will ask what your expectations are for the treatment.
At this stage, the surgeon or dentist will tell you how the surgery will be performed and the recovery time required after the treatment is done.
Medical Examinations
Here, some physical and blood tests are made by the surgeon to determine if you are in the right physical state. Any information on your physical condition is obtained including any underlying hereditary conditions within the family.
Surgery
The surgery involves delicate steps for the best results and they are as follows:
The dentist gives you oral sedatives or simply numbs the area with a local anesthetic to keep you comfortable for the duration of the procedure.
The surgeon will then spot and make incisions into the back portion of your gum tissue and expose the bone. From that bone, a small portion will be cut while avoiding the sinus membrane.
From there the surgeon will raise the membrane by lifting the cut portion of the select bone into the sinus cavity
From here the surgeon applies bone graft materials in the lifted area. As discussed by you and your doctor, this bone could be taken from a specific part of your body and the surgeon will apply the stitches to close off the gums.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can a dental sinus lift cause sinus problems?
One of the most noted concerns after your sinus lift procedure is perforation which in turn increases the risk for chronic infections and sinusitis.
Can dentists do sinus lifts?
Usually, oral surgeons or periodontists perform sinus lift surgery as this is a procedure mainly recommended by dentists
How much does a sinus lift Cost?
A normal sinus lift usually costs from as little as $1500 – $3000 per side.
Is there an alternative to a sinus lift?
You can try for a shorter implant which calls for enough bone to be available, although this means that the chances of implant failure increase. Another option is using bridges fixed on adjacent teeth. This particular approach involves gluing directly onto the adjacent tooth or filing down the adjacent tooth. Lastly, dentures could be another option that could work in place of a sinus lift.
Does sinus lift change your face?
More often than not a sinus lift will often alter your facial appearance for the good since this will reverse the sunken, prematurely-aged look that comes with tooth loss.
