Imagine that you bought a couch. Unfortunately, there’s one big problem: it won’t fit through your front door. You didn’t think about the size of the doorway when you made the purchase, and now that it’s here, you can’t imagine not having it. But something has to change. The solution? Hire someone to widen the doorway, move the couch in, and then restore the entryway. It takes a little extra work, but once it’s done, you’ll have a beautiful couch in your home. Think of a sinus lift the same way. Sometimes, a little preparation is needed before you can enjoy the lasting benefits of dental implants.
Dental implants are a great alternative to traditional prosthetics like bridges and dentures. But if you’ve lost bone in your upper jaw, you might need a sinus lift to be eligible for them.
What Is a Sinus Lift?
A sinus lift is a procedure that increases the bone under the sinus cavity. Its purpose is to provide a strong foundation for the successful placement of dental implants in the upper jawbone.
But why would you be missing bone there to begin with?
When you’ve been missing teeth for a prolonged period, your jawbone undergoes a process called resorption. This means you’ve lost bone density in your jaw. You see, tooth roots play a vital role in maintaining jawbone health by stimulating bone growth. Without them, the bone weakens and deteriorates.
Tooth replacements like dentures and bridges may restore your smile’s appearance and some of its function, but they don’t replace the missing tooth roots. Since they rest on the gums or nearby teeth, they don’t provide adequate stimulation to the bone, so bone loss continues.
Dental implants are different. Because they anchor into the bone, they stimulate it and help prevent further bone loss. However, if you’ve already lost a significant amount of bone and you need to replace teeth in the upper back jaw, you may not have enough support for implants. That’s when a sinus lift may be necessary.
Different Sinus Lift Techniques
A sinus lift may be an important first step on your implant journey. The type of sinus lift that’s right for your situation will depend on how much bone loss you’ve had:
- Direct sinus lift for significant bone loss: Dr. Keider makes an incision in your gum tissue to give him access to the bone underneath. He then creates a “window” in the side of the bone. He lifts your sinus through the window and then places bone graft material. Over time, the graft fuses with your bone, forming a solid foundation.
- Indirect sinus lift for minimal to moderate bone loss: Dr. Keider accesses your sinus through the top of your jawbone at the planned implant site. Then, he raises the sinus floor and places graft material. In many cases, he can place an implant at the same time.
Consider Mini Dental Implants
Mini dental implants are a type of dental implant that doesn’t require the same jawbone support as traditional dental implants. Because they’re about half the size of traditional implants, they don’t require as much space in the bone for successful placement. That means most patients can qualify for them, and they usually don’t need a sinus lift or bone graft.
There are other advantages of mini dental implants, too:
- The procedure is minimally invasive: Because of their small size, Dr. Keider doesn’t need to make any incisions into the gums or large holes in the jawbone.
- The recovery is quick: Patients tend to heal quickly after getting mini implants, thanks to the minimally invasive procedure.
- They’re cost-effective: Mini implants are generally more affordable than traditional implants, in part because the need for expensive preparatory procedures is uncommon.
- They allow for same-day results: Mini implants are often stable as soon as they’re placed in the bone, meaning Dr. Keider can often attach a temporary restoration the same visit.
In the past, many people were unable to qualify for dental implants due to bone loss. But mini implants could offer you the beautiful, functional smile you’ve been waiting for!
Let’s Talk About Your Options
A sinus lift may be the first step in preparing you for durable, long-lasting dental implants. Though the healing process takes time, the payoff is a stable foundation for implant restorations that look and function just like natural teeth.
That said, you may not need a sinus lift at all, especially if you qualify for mini implants. And most patients do. These smaller implants provide many of the same benefits as traditional ones and have proven highly successful for a wide range of patients.
Ready to take the next step? Contact us today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Keider.
