Sinus Lift in Colindale
If you are considering an implant towards the back of your upper jaw, you may be told that a sinus lift is required.
Suppose you have recently inquired about dental implants in Colindale. In that case, you may have got as far as your initial consultation only to hear you need sinus lift surgery or a sinus augmentation to ensure your dental implant treatment is a success. But what is sinus lift surgery? Is it essential to have a sinus lift surgery, what will this treatment feel like, and how will it affect you?
What is a tooth implant sinus lift?
A sinus augmentation is a dental procedure carried out when the floor of the sinus is too close to where dental implants will be placed. Untreated, this can fail dental implants, pain, and other complications. Sinus lift procedures add bone to the upper jaw, ensuring a secure location for implant placement while keeping the sinus safe.
The maxillary sinuses are holes in the facial bones between your upper teeth and your eyes (these fill with mucus when you have a head cold). Loss of an upper tooth below the sinus can cause the sinus to grow into the area previously occupied by the tooth. This may leave insufficient bone in which to place an implant (If bone grafting is performed at the time of extraction, this does not occur!).
In the case of insufficient bone in this area, a ‘sinus lift’ can be performed, whereby we modify the shape of the sinus by adding bone substitute material to this area. There are two different methods by which we can achieve this: using an internal [osteotome] approach if a relatively small addition of bone is required, or alternatively an external (lateral window or Caldwell Luc) approach if a substantial extra bone is required.
Sinus lifts are nothing to worry about – at Corner House Dental Practice in Colindale, we perform them on a daily basis, and the risk of complications is very low. If you have questions or concerns regarding this procedure, feel free to ask one of our friendly team members.
Osteotome approach
If an osteotome approach is used, this will be done at the time of your implant placement. Dr Masih Sage and his team will create the hole for the implant and then introduce a metal instrument called an osteotome. The osteotome is tapped gently to raise the shell of the sinus upward, and this area is then filled with bone. The implant is then placed.
Caldwell Luc technique
In the Caldwell Luc technique, a window is made in the bone adjacent to your sinus. The lower shell of the sinus is then lifted with an instrument, and bone substitute material is placed in the space created. The area is then covered over with gum, sutured, and left to heal for a minimum of six months.
Most implant patients do not require any form of sinus lift, but for those that do, there are a range of long term benefits that make the procedure worth the while.
Increased bone for implants to be placed into
Lower risk of implant failure
Lower risk of sinus pain
Lower risk of sinus infection or other complications later on.
We are here to help you
If you would like to make an appointment to have a consultation with our expert team in Colindale dentist, or if you have any general enquiries about the services we offer please don’t hesitate to get in touch.