A sinus lift is a dental surgical procedure that increases bone height in the upper jaw to allow for successful placement of dental implants, especially in the molar and premolar areas. It is typically needed when there is bone loss or the sinus is too close to the jawbone.
Candidates for a sinus lift include patients with insufficient upper jawbone due to tooth loss, bone disease, or naturally large sinuses. The procedure involves lifting the sinus membrane and placing bone graft material underneath to create a solid base for future implants.
There are two main techniques: the lateral window (for larger lifts) and the osteotome (crestal) technique (for smaller lifts). Bone grafts can come from the patient, donors, animals, or be synthetic.
After the procedure, patients must allow several months for healing before implants can be placed. With proper care, sinus lifts have a high success rate and are a key solution for patients with challenging upper jaw anatomy.
