The Basics of a Sinus Lift
- Posted on: Mar 15 2019
Your sinuses are one of those things that you don’t really know are there until you’re buried nose deep in a sinus infection and they are practically throbbing. Even though we here at Clear Lake Dental Care can’t exactly treat your sinus infection, we do perform a surgical procedure that deals with the sinuses called a sinus lift.
What’s a sinus lift?
A sinus lift, or a sinus augmentation, is a surgical procedure that we perform to make room in a patient’s mouth for dental implants. By adding bone between the upper jaw and the maxillary sinuses which are just beneath your sinus cavity, we can help make more room in your mouth so that your jaw and sinuses aren’t too close together.
How is the surgery performed?
The first step in this surgery is to get bone that will be used for the graft which can come from your own body, a cadaver, or from a cow bone.
After we locate a source for the bone, we will take some X-rays and CT scans to study the anatomy of the patient’s jaw and sinuses to assess just how much new bone we will need.
To start the procedure itself, we will make an incision into the gum where the implant will go which exposes the jawbone. We will then create a moveable flap through the jawbone into the sinus cavity. This flap is then gently pressed upward into the sinuses to lift the sinus membrane which helps create empty space in the sinus cavity.. To be sure that enough mass is added, we will usually add several millimeters of bone just above the jawline. Once the bone graft is in place, we will use gum tissue to close it up.
Schedule a Consultation
Do you want to learn more about a sinus lift and what you can expect from surgery? If so, contact us at our Webster office and give us a call at 281-557-8097.
Posted in: Blogs, Sinus Lifts
