Loss of posterior teeth may result in excessive forces being placed on your remaining teeth. Fortunately, the placement of dental implants allows you to restore your missing teeth. However, the position of the sinus in the upper posterior areas may be too low for proper placement of dental implants.
A sinus grafting procedure allows the floor of the sinus to be repositioned, creating enough space to properly place an implant. Various grafting materials are used to encourage your bone to grow more quickly into the area, helping to stabilize or prepare for the dental implant.
Under certain conditions, an even simpler procedure can be utilized. When possible, the bone remaining under the sinus floor is gently “pushed up”, thus lifting the floor of the “dropped” sinus. Bone replacement materials are then placed beneath this lifted bone.
Sinus augmentation procedures are highly predictable, with studies reporting over 95% success. Following sufficient healing of a sinus augmentation (usually about 6 months), implants are placed in a predictable and successful manner. It is important to realize that if the sinus augmentation procedure does not result in enough bone for implant placement, additional bone may be regenerated through a second sinus augmentation procedure at the time of implant placement.
Radiographs of Completed Sinus Grafts!