What Is a Sinus Lift? Everything You Need to Know
A study showed that patients had a 95.2% success rate after a sinus lift after a 24-month evaluation. Another study group showed a 100% improvement after their surgery.
If you want to know what is a sinus lift, you may not know why this procedure is so beneficial. Over the years, sinus lift surgery has become much more widespread.
This is a type of surgery that you may not even realize that you need. That is why it is so important to discuss these things with your doctor for their expert recommendations.
Keep reading to find out what is a sinus lift and what the process includes.
Sinus Lift Details
If you don’t know what a sinus lift is, it may not be what you think. This is a sinus argumentation that is used to make dental implants more effective.
Dental implants are very common, but not everyone has the necessary bone support to get them. Bone loss can cause this issue, making implants almost impossible.
This is where sinus lifts come in as the sinus membrane is lifted upward. This exposes more bone in the upper jaw area between your molars and premolars.
When this happens, dental implants are able to be achieved with the extra bone support that is provided. This is a procedure that could be useful for those who needed dental implants but have sustained oral damage.
Some causes of bone loss are periodontal gum disease and tooth loss. It is also very possible that there could be reabsorption of the bone into the body if you have lost teeth.
These are all things that can contribute to bone loss, which would make you a good subject for sinus lift surgery.
How Is Sinus Lift Surgery Performed?
If you believe that you need a sinus lift procedure, you may want to know what this includes. You will have had plenty of discussions about this with your surgeon.
The procedure is relatively simple as your surgeon will cut the gum tissue and raise it to expose the bone. A circle is carefully cut in the bone, and that piece will go into the sinus cavity space.
The hole is then filled with a bone graft, and your surgeon will close the incision. Keep in mind that this is just the initial surgery that you are going to need.
You will not be able to get dental implants right after you have gotten your sinus lift surgery. Most patients have to wait over a course of 4 to 12 months after the surgery.
This allows them to heal before they go in to get dental implants done.
The Process Before a Sinus Lift Procedure
If you are going to have a sinus argumentation done, you should know what happens before the surgery. The first step is to figure out where the extra bone will come from.
Your dental professional will determine this after examining you. The bone can come from your own body, a cadaver, or from a cow.
The process of finding the bone usually includes x-rays that study your jaw and sinuses. If the bone has to come from a cadaver or a cow, the surgery itself may look a little different.
Every patient is going to be different, so you should ask your dental professional any questions that you have. They will be able to give you the details specific to your case.
Sinus Lift Aftercare
The aftercare for this type of surgery is considered to be quite mild. Most people experience minimal discomfort with just a few symptoms after the surgery.
You may experience swelling as well as some light bleeding. It is important that you do not blow your nose or sneeze too hard or too frequently.
You may also get a saline spray to keep your nose moist as well as pain medications or antibiotics. And antimicrobial mouthwash may also be prescribed to prevent an infection from occurring.
You should have a follow-up appointment with your dentist a week to 10 days after the surgery has been done. This allows your dentist to examine the surgical site and remove stitches if necessary.
This is also when they will make sure you are healing correctly and there is nothing to be concerned about. If you notice unusual symptoms before this appointment, you should go to see your dentist sooner.
They will most likely tell you what to look out for if you notice any issues. No matter what kind of surgery you are getting, you want to make sure you are healing and keeping everything clean.
Sinus Lift Surgery Concerns
One of the good things about a sinus lift is that it has few safety concerns. As far as surgeries go, this is a relatively mild surgery that doesn’t have many complications.
That being said, there is always a risk associated with any kind of surgery. Infection is always going to be a risk and is something that you should keep an eye out for.
If you have any reason to suspect that you are getting an infection after surgery, you should immediately get care. In rare cases, there may be a lack of blood supply in the grafted area.
Acute maxillary sinusitis is also something that can occur after this surgery. It causes inflammation and prevents the drain of mucus, which can cause issues over time.
What Is a Sinus Lift and What It Includes
If you believe that you need a sinus lift, you can discuss this with your dentist. Sinus argumentation is a great option if you have bone loss and need dental implants.
Do you need to get a sinus lift? Contact us today at Santa Monica Center to book your exam for a sinus lift surgery.
