Sinus Lift

What is a Sinus Lift?

Dental implant patients sometimes require a sinus lift (or sinus augmentation).  This is one of the most common bone grafting procedures for those with bone loss in the upper jaw. 

The maxillary sinuses, which are empty, air-filled spaces, are located behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth.  Occasionally, roots of the upper teeth extend up into these sinus cavities.  When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth.  Because dental implants need bone to hold them in place, a very thin sinus wall makes implant placement impossible. 

In these instances, or in the case of bone loss due to injury or periodontal disease, a sinus lift can raise the sinus floor and allow for new bone formation.  This enables dental implants to be placed and secured in the thicker new bone growth.  

A sinus lift may be necessary if you:

• are missing more than one tooth in the back of your upper jaw
• are missing a significant amount of bone in the back of your upper jaw
• are missing teeth due to a birth defect or condition
• are missing most of the upper teeth and require support for dental implants