What is a Sinus Lift?

A successful dental implant needs sufficient jaw bone so your dentist can fix the implant securely in place. Your dentist may perform a sinus lift procedure when your maxillary sinus is too close to your upper jaw thus making it difficult to fix a dental implant.

The maxillary sinus will differ among different people of varying ages. Your dentist can examine your sinus and determine if your sinuses are too close to your upper jaw thus obstructing the implant.

The sinus lift procedure is also performed when there is insufficient bone in the upper jaw to accommodate the implant.

A few reasons why you may not have sufficient bone in your upper jaw

There may be several reasons for insufficient bone structure, which includes the loss of a tooth due to an injury, a tooth extraction or an oral disease.

When you lose a tooth the jaw bone at that position can begin to slowly disintegrate. Over time this can cause damage to the jaw bone and make it difficult to fix an implant.

The Maxillary Sinus

The maxillary sinuses are just empty spaces and are above your upper jaw behind your cheeks. In order to add bone to the jaw your dentist will 'lift' the sinus membrane and create the needed space. Using this space, your dentist will add the required bone to the upper jaw.