Sinus Lift

Whether you have recently lost a tooth; received the news that an extraction cannot be avoided...

or you have been putting up with an unsightly gap in your smile for too long and have decided to invest in a beautifully restored smile, our expert Implant and Dental Surgery team are here for you. 

At Truly Dental, your assessment and treatment will be in the hands of our highly skilled specialist in implant surgery and bone grafting procedures, trained under the world’s leading authorities on bone health and structures and associated dental restorations, and dedicated to bringing these ground-breaking techniques and skill into the service of our patients, no matter how complex or challenging their need.

The reason for their extensive training and experience in this area is so that you never need to accept that restoration is impossible – even in notably complex cases involving missing teeth in the upper back sections of jaw, our team can deliver Implant success where patients have previously been told it couldn’t be done, through the use of Sinus Lifting bone augmentation treatment. 

What is a Sinus Lift? ​​​​​​​

A Sinus Lift is a surgical bone grafting procedure which is recommended as preparation for a Dental Implant to be placed, in patients who have insufficient bone density and quantity to properly support the required implant. 

Our sinuses are air-filled spaces, which vary in size from person to person, but are always located on both right and left sides of our face, just below the cheekbones. In some cases the sinuses are very large, and their placement can mean that the roots of the upper back teeth can protrude into the sinus cavity. In other individuals, the bone neighbouring the sinuses towards the upper back of the jaw may have been gradually shrinking, in a process known as resorption, over a long period of time – causing the space between your jawbone and sinus to shrink also. 

A Sinus Lift is a process whereby new bone material is added onto the lower part of the sinus, in a surgical procedure involving the grafting of organic or artificial material to foster the natural development and growth of new bone. The area is then left to heal and recover, and the new bone to mature and grow over an average period of 6 months, until it has developed sufficient new, healthy and dense bone structure to successfully support a dental implant. 

If you are considering replacing a lost tooth or teeth with Dental Implants, book a consultation with one of our implantology and bone augmentation specialists today, for a full assessment or even a second opinion, to discuss whether a Sinus Lift may be required to support your planned restoration. A number of different situations can contribute to the need for prior-treatment with a Sinus Lift, most commonly: 

• If you have lost a tooth or multiple teeth in the upper back jaw, especially if the bone in that area has been without teeth for a long time
• If you have been wearing poorly fitting and uncomfortable dentures due to missing teeth, which can cause more rapid resorption of your bone 
• If you have lost teeth primarily due to damage from gum disease
• If your sinuses are particularly large 

Benefits of a Sinus Lift

• Regenerates missing bone to increase the success rate and optimise results from Dental Implant surgery
• Building up the strength and density of your jaw can improve overall facial aesthetics and have a de-aging effect on your appearance  
• A time-proved, fully predictable, and safe restorative procedure 
• Provides additional support to your remaining teeth through the reinforcement of bone affected by shrinkage or resorption 
• Improves the success and long-term retention of full and partial Dentures
• Allows patients who were previously deemed unsuitable to experience the benefits of Dental Implants 

What to Expect When Getting a Sinus Lift

Initial consultation

Whether you wish to consult on a treatment plan including one or more Dental Implants, or if you have contacted us for a second opinion regarding a site you were previously told was unsuitable for an Implant, your dentist will first of all carry out a comprehensive examination of your teeth, gums, and bone to determine whether or not a bone graft will be necessary to restore bone quality and quantity in the area of the space.

Your dentist will use the clinic’s high-tech 3D CT scanner to assess the density and positioning of your upper jawbone in relation to your sinuses, and the extent of bone that would need to be replaced to ensure a successful implant procedure. If a Sinus Lift is revealed to be necessary in advance of further restorative treatment, your dentist will discuss all of your treatment options in depth with you during this consultation, including answering any questions you have about Bone Grafting in general, and address any other queries or concerns. 

At this stage your dentist will be able to provide you with a full treatment plan including the estimated time until completion of not only your Sinus Lift, but also the implant surgery and final restoration, and a detailed and transparent breakdown of all costs involved. 

Sinus lift procedure

Your dentist will use a highly effective local anaesthetic to fully numb your mouth before beginning the procedure, so that your treatment will be completely pain-free and comfortable throughout. 

The Sinus Lifting procedure itself is generally a very straightforward and minimally invasive treatment – with an average success rate of over 95%. The process involves your dentist carefully making a small incision in the area where your molar or premolar teeth may have previously sat. From here, a small opening is then made into the sinus cavity and the restorative bone graft material will be placed. This will mature and fuse to your natural bone over a period of approximately 6 months, until it has become strong, dense bone which can successfully support your dental implant. 

Finally, your dentist will close up the incision with dental sutures, to aid in the rapid healing of the surgical site. Your dentist will always be able to advise you of the timeframe for proceeding with your implant surgery following the healing of your bone, to ensure optimal results, and will schedule you for a follow-up appointment as the next stage of your full treatment plan, before you leave the clinic following your procedure.

Sinus lift recovery

In most cases a Sinus Lift conducted by an oral surgery specialist is a simple and uncomplicated procedure. The immediate effects of numbness from the local anaesthetic used during your appointment will wear off between 4 to 6 hours following your visit, and care must be taken during this time to avoid accidentally biting or burning your lips, cheek, or tongue. 

Most patients will experience some mild to moderate discomfort, swelling, or bruising in the days after the procedure itself, however this is a perfectly natural part of the healing process. Your dentist will prescribe you with appropriate medication to promote your recovery, in addition to providing you with thorough guidance on beneficial aftercare of your mouth and teeth to ensure the healing period is entirely manageable – most patients can expect to be fully recovered after 1 week.