Sinus Lift
What is a sinus lift?
The nasal cavity and nasal sinus form the top of our upper jaw. The nasal sinus may sometimes grow beyond its normal size with time. Occasionally, the shape of the sinus needs to be modified for certain dental procedures.
A sinus lift refers to the procedure that modifies the shape of the upper jaw sinus. A sinus lift is a bone grafting procedure involving the upper jaw or maxilla.
Why is it needed?
What does the procedure involve?
How much time will the whole process take?
-
When will I be able to resume daily activities?
-
Will I be in pain?
-
How effective is the treatment in the long run?
Why is it needed?
The upper jaw sinus tends to increase in size with time after the upper molars are removed. This results in insufficient bone height for placement of dental implants in the back of the upper jaw.
In order to increase the height/volume of bone, the sinus is gently opened and bone graft material is added. Either natural (autologous) bone or other bone substitutes are used for a sinus lift. The graft material will eventually transform into the patient's own healthy bone. Once the bone has consolidated, implants of adequate length can be inserted and later on, new teeth will be placed.
What does the procedure involve?
A sinus lift procedure is a minor surgery that can be carried out under local anaesthesia and the procedure will be performed in an out-patient setting.
In the situation where a patient may be worried about the procedure, s/he may choose to have the procedure under sedation, which will relax the patient during the procedure and best of all, the person would not remember the procedure afterward.
Taking the medication prescribed by your dental specialist is key to reducing post-treatment discomfort and to ensure uneventful speedy healing.
How much time will the whole process take?
The procedure lasts between one to two hours, depending on the extent of bone grafting needed.
When will I be able to resume daily activities?
Most of our patients can resume 99% of their daily activities on the same day. In general, we advise patients to take it easy on the procedure day. At the end of the procedure day, we expect our patients to be able to talk on the phone, meet their family or friends and eat a reasonable dinner.
Will I be in pain?
There is generally no pain during the procedure. Very rarely do we need to perform the procedure under general anesthesia.
In the situation where a patient may be worried about the procedure, s/he may choose to have the procedure under sedation, which will relax the patient during the procedure and best of all, the person would not remember the procedure afterward.
Taking the medication prescribed by your dental specialist is key to reducing post-treatment discomfort and to ensure uneventful speedy healing.
How effective is the treatment in the long run?
Bone grafting is very predictable over a long period of time in the hands of experienced dental surgeons. Repeating the procedure is very rare.
Our clinical data has shown that dental implants placed in these situations has an approximately 95% success rate, which is consistent with other major international treatment centers and universities.
