Sinus Lift
Sun City West
When you lose your teeth, your whole life is affected. Your oral health, your smile, your confidence, even your overall health, all suffer. Replacing those missing teeth is essential for restoring the functions and aesthetics of your mouth. Dental implants are one of the most popular treatments for replacing missing teeth. They are a revolutionary treatment that requires a surgical procedure to place titanium rods in the jawbone. The success of dental implants relies on the fusion of your bone to the implant. For this to occur, there needs to be sufficient bone mass remaining. Without it, implants are likely to fail. In the upper jaw, they may even pierce through the sinus cavity. At Solutions Dental Implants, we can help to avoid damaging the sinus cavities with a sinus lift.
What is a sinus lift?
There are several sinus cavities in your head. The maxillary sinus cavities are located right behind your cheeks. They sit just above the upper jaw. The roots of some of your back teeth actually reach up toward the cavities. In the event that you have these teeth extracted, or they fall out, the layer of bone separating the roots from the cavities is lost.
Bone mass is an integral component for the success of dental implants. Without it, implants are at a greater risk of failure. Toward the back of the upper jaw, there is also the risk of piercing the sinus cavity. If this happens, you are at an increased risk for chronic sinus infections and other complications. A sinus lift is a procedure done to make implants possible by lifting the floor of the cavity and filling in the space with a bone graft material.
Bone Grafting
A bone graft is done to restore missing bone mass in your body, in the case of dental implants, in your jaw. There are several types of bone grafts, which we will go over with you during your consultation. We will be able to choose the best option that fits your needs.
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Autogenous. An autogenous graft uses bone mass from your own body. While there is no risk of disease transmission or rejection, it does require two surgical sites.
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Allogenic. An allogenic graft uses bone from a cadaver. This only requires one surgical site. Screenings are done to reduce the risk for disease transmission and rejection, but it is still a small risk.
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Xenogenic. A xenogenic graft uses bone mass from another species. The bone is highly processed to reduce the risk of disease transmission and rejection. Like allogenic grafts, only one surgical site is needed.
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Synthetic or regenerative materials. |
How is a sinus lift done?
A sinus lift is a surgical procedure. Before getting started, we administer a local anesthetic, so you do not feel pain during the procedure, and offer you sedation so that you can remain calm and relaxed. We begin by making small incisions in the gums near the premolars and molars. Next, we make a small incision in the jawbone. The floor of the sinus cavity is carefully pushed upward, and the chosen bone graft material is placed inside. Finally, your gums are sutured closed. Healing can take several months. Once you have fully healed, the process for dental implants can begin.
With a sinus lift, we can lift up the floor of the sinus cavity and fill in the space, making implants possible while protecting the sinus cavity. For more information, and to find out if a sinus lift is right for you, call Solutions Dental Implants to schedule your consultation today at (480) 956-6113. |
