What Teeth Need A Sinus Lift?

Dental implants are very common nowadays which makes sinus lift a very commonly performed dental procedure. Despite being a common dental procedure it is overlooked most of the time and people do not have ample information about it.

In order to avoid overlooking a procedure that can be beneficial to oral and overall health, people need to understand what a sinus lift is.

If you are looking to get some to-the-point information about the same then you are at the right place. Today we will discuss all the things related to this procedure including why it is needed and how one can go about it!

What is a sinus lift?

Sinus lifts are performed by oral surgeons in order to increase bone density in the posterior maxillae (upper jaw). When there is insufficient bone in areas where implants are to be placed, this procedure is required. 

An implant must be properly anchored into the bone which requires a minimum bone structure. The implants support crowns, dentures, and bridges by being placed in the bone and acting as anchors. 

This surgery is called sinus lift surgery because the sinus membrane is moved upward in order to create space for the bone. This procedure is commonly performed by dental specialists including oral surgeons and periodontists.

Why do teeth need a sinus lift?

Lower jaw bones tend to be softer than upper jaw bones, which is not uncommon. Upper jawbones can be restricted to the posterior regions. The loss of bone that occurs after natural teeth are extracted is caused by this process.

As a result of removing the natural molars, the maxillary sinus will become larger. Slight resorption of the bony ridge will occur in conjunction with bone expansion.

There may be insufficient bone available for implant implantation in many cases because of this reduction in bone volume. As a result, implants will need to be positioned with the help of sinus lifts.

This dental procedure is performed after analyzing the position of the jaw bones and which teeth are affected by the same. So, it is difficult to tell exactly what teeth need a sinus lift. Your dentist will first examine your tooth condition before coming to any conclusion.

How is a sinus lift performed? 

The following two techniques are used to perform this procedure:

• A technique for creating lateral windows:  On the maxillary antrum lateral wall, a small window/opening is made. During the surgery, the sinus membrane is gently pushed up and some bone is deposited into the artificial bone.
• An internal sinus lift (crestal approach):  The implant is placed by preparing a small hole. A careful sequence of drilling is used prior to implant placement in order to create the ‘window’ that the artificial bone will be placed in.

Healing usually takes 6 months or longer, with 9 months being recommended for best results.

Having a large antrum requires more bone grafting material and it will take more time to heal.

What should you do after the surgery? 

For at least two weeks following surgery, you should rest and avoid active sports. You should also avoid blowing your nose. 

For oral procedures such as this, it is advisable not to bend over or to the side, and keep the head horizontal. As a result, the bone graft material introduced during surgery could be interfered with during this movement.

In addition, you must avoid smoking. Infections are far more likely to occur in smokers. There will be a need to remove the graft material and clean the infection, if the bone graft done during the surgery, fails.

Lastly, you can try rinsing the nose gently with salt water to avoid any discomfort. In case of severe pain after the surgery, you can ask your dentist to give you an antibiotic to prevent infections.