Sinus Lift And Dental Implants

Chicago Area

When you are missing teeth, they need to be replaced. Dental implants are one of the latest options available for tooth replacement, and one of the most popular. However, before going through the process of getting a dental implant, it is wise to do some of your own research to see whether dental implants are safe. They provide many benefits over traditional tooth replacement options.

Implants require a surgical procedure, during which titanium rods are inserted into your jawbone. As you heal, your bone fuses to the implants. However, for this fusion (called osseointegration) to be successful, you need to have sufficient bone mass in your jaw. Otherwise, the implants are likely to fail. For teeth in your upper jaw, there is an additional issue. With insufficient bone mass, implants can pierce your maxillary sinuses, leading to chronic sinus infections. At Cameo Dental Specialists, we can restore bone mass in your upper jaw, making implants possible, with a sinus lift.

WHAT IS A SINUS LIFT?

Your head has several sinus cavities. Your maxillary sinuses are located just behind your cheeks, right above your upper teeth. The roots of some of your teeth extend up toward these sinus cavities. When they are lost or extracted, this leaves only a thin layer of bone to separate your jaw from the sinus cavities.

Dental implants require sufficient bone mass for successful fusion. When you are replacing teeth near your sinus cavities, there is a risk that the titanium rods can pierce right through the membrane, leaving you susceptible to chronic sinus infections, along with other problems.

To avoid this issue, a sinus lift is often performed. This procedure involves lifting the floor of the sinus cavity and filling the space with bone graft material.

BONE GRAFTS

There are a few different types of bone graft that can be used for your sinus lift:

Autogenous. This type of bone graft uses your bone, usually from your hip or tibia.
Allogenic. The bone for this graft is taken from a donor.
Xenogenic. Bone material from an entirely different species is used. Before use, it is processed at extremely high temperatures to prevent rejection and infections.
Synthetic bone materials.

HOW IS THE PROCEDURE DONE?

The sinus lift is performed similarly to other types of bone grafts for dental implants. Before we begin, we administer a local anesthetic to the surgical site(s). If we are using your bone material, we harvest it first. Incisions are made in your gums. The tissue is pulled back to expose your jawbone and the sinus wall. We then lift the floor of the sinus cavity and place the graft material as needed. When we are finished, we stitch your gums closed. Healing can take several months to a year. When you have healed, we can move forward with dental implants.

ARE YOU A CANDIDATE?

You may be eligible for a sinus lift if:

You are missing several teeth in the back of your upper jaw, near the maxillary sinus cavity.
You have lost significant bone mass in your upper jaw (which can be determined with digital imaging).
You are missing several teeth in your upper jaw, and you need additional support.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS:

SCHEDULE A SINUS LIFT CONSULTATION WITH YOUR CHICAGO AREA ORAL SURGEONS!

If you are interested in dental implants, but you have suffered a significant bone loss in your upper jaw, a sinus lift procedure may be able to help. Contact us at (630) 446-2921 to schedule your consultation today.