Sinus augmentation, also commonly known as a sinus lift, is a specialized type of bone graft where the maxillary sinus cavity is lifted slightly to allow for the placement of bone graft material into the upper jawbone. Essentially, it increases the bone volume in order to “lift” the sinus cavity. Like bone grafts, sinus augmentation procedures enable people with a lack of bone in the upper jaw to safely have dental implants placed.

Did You Know?

Sinus lifts are one of the most common and predictable bone grafting procedures used to place dental implants.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do I need a sinus lift?

You will need a sinus lift if you do not have enough bone in the upper jaw and/or if your maxillary sinuses are too close to the jaw. Some people may simply not have a lot of bone here, while others may have suffered bone loss from periodontal disease, losing teeth, or bone resorption. To determine if you need a sinus lift, schedule a consultation with our Flushing, Queens implant surgeon at New York Dental Solutions.

What can I expect when having a sinus lift at New York Dental Solutions?

When undergoing a sinus lift at New York Dental Solutions, you can expect to undergo a minor oral surgery that will require local anesthesia. A small incision will be made in your gums to access the jawbone between your upper molars and premolars, then your surgeon will prepare a small opening in the bone. This opening allows access to the sinus separating the internal membrane to allow bone graft material to be deposited into the sinus cavity to increase the volume of bone to place dental implants.

What can I expect after having a sinus lift?

After having a bone graft, you may experience some minor swelling and bleeding from the nose for the first few days. You can expect the incision to heal within a few weeks, however it will take approximately 3-4 months before new bone has formed around the graft site. In order to ensure that your bone graft heals properly, our implant surgeon will provide you with guidelines to follow after surgery.

At a glance, these can include:

• Diet: Eat soft foods for the first day and drink plenty of fluids. Avoid hot foods and beverages for the first day since they can cause excess bleeding or burns.
• Oral Hygiene: Gently rinse with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon salt in 8 oz. water) 24 hours after surgery, then 4-5 times daily for the first few days. Be gentle while brushing your teeth to prevent disturbance to the surgical site.
• Medications: Take any antibiotics or pain medications as directed.
• Activity: Rest for the first 2-3 days and start to resume normal activities no sooner than day 3 post op. Avoid blowing your nose for three days or sneezing as this can dislodge the bone graft.
• No blowing of the nose for 3 days.

Once your sinus lift has completely healed and new bone has grown, then you can have dental implants placed. This can take anywhere from 4-12 months, depending on how much bone material was placed and how long your body takes to heal.