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Dr. Peter Doherty Explains The Sinus Lift Procedure
What Are Sinuses?
Dr. Peter Doherty Explains The Sinus Lift Procedure
The sinuses are large, empty air spaces which lie underneath your cheekbones. Your sinus can give resonance to your voice and if you get a cold, it can get quite stuffed up.
The size of these air spaces vary from person to person, and the roots of the upper back teeth can lie in close relation to the sinuses, especially if the sinuses are large.
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Why Would You Need A Sinus Lift?
When upper back teeth are extracted, the sinus generally tends to enlarge downwards, which can mean that following tooth extractions you may end up with insufficient bone to place an implant.
If that is the case, the lost bone can be replaced by means of a bone grafting procedure called a ‘sinus lift’.
We can place some artificial bone into the very lowest part of the sinus and then over a period of 6 months that bone will begin to develop into your own bone. Finally, we can put an implant into that.
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The Sinus Lift Procedure
The area is numbed and then the gum tissue where your back teeth used to be is gently raised to expose the bone underneath.
A small, oval window is then opened into the sinus.
The sinus is lined by a thin membrane which is gently separated from the sinus cavity to create space for the bone graft. After the bone grafting material has been put in place, stitches are then used to close the tissues.
Generally 6 months is allowed for the graft to mature after which time your implants will be placed.
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Cost Of A Sinus Lift
A sinus lift costs between €1,650 and €2,000 depending on the size and complexity of the sinus to be grafted.
More information can be found on our pricing page.
Benefits
Increased bone density for patients who have insufficient upper jawbone material due to gum disease, the natural process of aging, genetics, or tooth loss
Improved likelihood of successful placement of dental implants
Less invasive procedure to create sufficient bone for implant placement—without direct bone grafting, which can require a second procedure to harvest bone from another part of the body
When combined with osseodensification, can increase the quality of the surrounding bone in the upper jaw when done at the same time.
Minimal discomfort
Prevention of loss of teeth due to the bone graft carried out during a sinus augmentation creating further support for existing teeth.
Replacement of bone loss due to periodontal disease
Added bone to the upper jaw can help improve the appearance of the facial structure and give the patient an increased definition
More Information
- Sinus Lift Overview
- Before Treatment Pictures
- After Treatment Pictures
- Success Rates & Recovery Times
- Sinus Lift Aftercare
Sinus Lift Overview
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Sinus Lift Overview
The procedure involves placing an artificial bone material in the very lowest part of the sinus. This treatment then allows for replacement of upper back teeth with implants.
Upper back teeth are closely related to the Maxillary sinus, an empty air space just behind the cheekbone.
When upper back teeth are removed the sinus will often expand downwards resulting in insufficient bone to place an implant. The sinus lift allows us to circumvent that problem and replace the missing bone.
This artificial bone material is then left to mature and solidify over 6 months before it is ready to receive a dental implant. The bone grafting material does not come from the patient, it comes from animal sources such as cows, so there is no second surgical site.
Before Treatment Pictures
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Before Treatment Pictures
The pictures below are x-rays of actual cases carried out at here 3Dental.
This is an x-ray showing missing teeth on the upper right side.
The sinus is outlined and as we can see there is very little bone available below the sinus.
This means that there is insufficient bone to place a dental implant.
After Treatment Pictures
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After Treatment Pictures
The outline shows the appearance after a sinus lift.
Bone graft material has been placed, meaning there is now sufficient bone available to place dental implants.
Also note that the lower tooth has been removed as it was decayed and the patient was treated for gum disease.
Success Rates & Recovery Times
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Success Rates & Recovery Times
The sinus lift procedure is tried and tested, it was first performed in the 1970's and is a well established technique which has been proven to be very safe and reliable.
The success rates for a sinus lift are very high - over 95% success rate.
Recovery is quick, most patients have completely recovered in 1-2 weeks.
Sinus Lift Aftercare
Sinus Lift Aftercare
You will be numb for 1-2 hours following the procedure, during this period be careful not to bite your lip, or burn yourself with hot food or drinks.
After this numbness wears off expect some postoperative discomfort, which can last up to one week.
More details can be found on our sinus lift aftercare instructions page.
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Check Out Our Happy Dental Patients
We have improved 100's of smiles using sinus lifts at our Dublin, Limerick and Galway clinics.
But don't take our word for it!
Commonly Asked Questions
Who would need a sinus lift?
If you are missing upper back teeth, and if there is insufficient bone available for dental implants, a sinus lift can replace the missing bone and enable implant placement.
When can I have my implants?
After the sinus lift is completed it is allowed to mature for 6 months. After that implants can be placed.
What bone grafting material do you use?
We use a bovine bone grafting material which is derived from cows. It comes in a small bottle from a medical supplies company. The material is fully sterilised and CE approved.
How do I know if I'm suitable?
As part of your implant assessment you will have a CT scan taken.
Your implant dentist will be able to determine how much bone you have available for implant placement, and will advise you if a sinus lift is required.
How painful is a sinus lift?
A sinus lift is totally painless. During the procedure you will be numbed in the area and will not feel any pain.
Afterwards when the anaesthetic wears off there will be discomfort for up to a week which will be controllable with painkillers.
How dangerous is a sinus lift?
The sinus lift procedure has been around since the 1970s and has an established history and track record as an extremely successful procedure with success rates over 95%.
Rare complications include sinusitis or infection in the days following the procedure.
Why would you need a sinus lift?
The maxillary sinus is an empty air space that exists over the roots of the upper back teeth.
When these teeth are extracted the sinus may dip downwards and as a result there may be insufficient bone available to place an implant.
A sinus lift literally lifts the floor of the sinus upwards and creates bone in the lower part of the sinus to enable implant placement.
Can I get a sinus lift near me?
Yes! We provide sinus lifts in each of our three clinics - Dublin, Limerick and Galway.
Book your free consultation today! We look forward to welcoming you in person soon :)
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