Sinus lifts are common among people who want dental implants because there must be a wider space in the mouth for a dental implant to be successfully carried out.
Sinus lifts have a high success rate, and research has shown that out of the many amounts of people who carry out this surgery every year, 95.7% come out successful and the remaining percentage has little complications that are easily addressable. Therefore, for anyone who looks forward to getting a dental implant or is on the verge of getting one, you should understand the sinus lift procedure.
What is Sinus Lift?
A sinus lift, also known as a sinus graft or sinus augmentation is a surgical procedure performed to increase the amount of bone in the upper jaw by adding bones in between the molars and premolars of the upper jaw, by lifting the sinus membrane and placing a bone graft.
This surgery is often done for people who need dental implants but do not have enough bone support for the implants or have suffered bone loss. Also, in some cases, it is one of the many procedures done during full mouth construction surgery.
Reasons for Sinus Lift
You may need a sinus lift procedure for the following reasons.
Types of Bone Graft Used in Sinus Lift
To fill in the bone in the upper jaw, a bone graft is needed. Bone grafts are of different types, gotten from different places. They include:
Surgery Procedure and Process
Before Surgery,
You should consult with your surgeon, who would go through your medical records, making sure you are capable of handling the procedure. This is often founded on your health condition, mental state, habits, and medications.
If you are considered fit, he will go ahead to access the upper jaw bone, taking measurements for the bone graft needed. Then you will get to choose what type of bone graft you require, about the advice of your surgeon.
Thereafter, a day for the surgery will be fixed. You will be advised to:
In Surgery,
After Surgery,
You will be moved to the ICU to recuperate and painkillers will be administered to you to pacify the pains.
How Long Does The Surgery Take?
A sinus lift is hardly complex and within 1 to 3 hours, the surgery can be completed.
Recovery
A bone graft takes about 3 to 6 months to fuse with the jawbone and sinus. However, the rate of healing depends on the type of bone graft used.
Quick recovery means adhering to a lot of precautionary measures. They include:
Possible Complications
A sinus lift is a safe surgical procedure with a high success rate, but even with this, complications can still arise after the surgery. These complications include:
Cost of Sinus Lifts
Sinus lifts cost differently in various countries and based on the hospitals and surgeons. The cost is also affected by factors such as the type of bone graft used, the size of the area and bone graft, the additional cost of medications and scans, etc. Estimates state that the price ranges from $1800 to $4000.