Sinus Augmentation
The maxillary sinuses are empty air spaces located behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth on both the right and left side of the head. Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone.
The Sinus Augmentation Procedure:
The key to a successful and long-lasting dental implant is the quality and quantity of jawbone to which the implant will be attached. If bone loss has occurred due to injury or periodontal disease, a sinus augmentation can raise the sinus floor and allow for new bone formation.
In the most common sinus augmentation procedure, a small incision is made on the premolar or molar region to expose the area. A small opening is made into the bone, and the membrane lining the sinus is pushed upward. The underlying space is filled with bone grafting material, either from your own body, or a donor (animal or human). Sometimes, synthetic materials that can imitate bone formation are used. After the bone is implanted, the incision is closed with dissolving stitches and the healing process begins. After several months of healing, the added bone becomes integrated with the patient’s jaw and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone.
If there exists enough quality bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus that the implant can be stabilized well, sinus augmentation and implant placement can sometimes be performed as a single procedure. If however the quality of bone is inadequate, the sinus augmentation will have to be performed first, followed by a period of healing (several months, depending upon the type of graft material used) and finally implant placement.
The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option besides wearing loose dentures.