Sinus Lift Surgery in Buffalo, NY

Experienced Buffalo Dentists Providing Affordable Sinus Lift Surgery for Dental Implants

A sinus lift, also known as a sinus augmentation, is an effective way to increase the amount of osseous (bony) tissue in the maxilla so that dental implantation can be successful.

Dental implants have a variety of uses in restoring the health and quality of teeth following the emergence of dental or gingival (gum) disease. As soon as one of these conditions has been diagnosed, treated, and eliminated, a dental implant may be required in order to avoid complications from the loss of a tooth, such as bone loss. Sometimes a bone graft can be put into place immediately after an irreparably damaged tooth has been extracted, providing an urgent solution to any bone loss that would have otherwise occurred in the jawbone in the following months. In the rear of the maxilla (the upper jawbone), it is unfortunately not always possible to safeguard the formerly infected area and prepare it for dental implant installation. If multiple molars and/or premolars have been lost, or if years have passed since one or more of these teeth have fallen out, the jawbone may be especially thin in that area—too thin to adequately and permanently support a dental implant.

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Sinus Lift Surgery in Buffalo, NYA sinus lift, also known as a sinus augmentation, is an effective way to increase the amount of osseous (bony) tissue in the maxilla so that dental implantation can be successful. Sinus lifts involve pushing against the maxillary sinus, one of two small chambers of air on either side of the nose, in order to create more space for the maxilla. The maxillary sinuses are lined with a membrane that separates the air and mucus within the sinus from the bony tissue outside. In a sinus lift, a dentist will press against the lower portion of this membrane, compressing the maxillary sinus and opening more room into which the maxilla can expand.

There are several ways to complete a successful sinus lift. In one version of the procedure, a dentist will cut and pull away the gum that separates the thin region of the maxilla from the rest of the mouth. Then, a small circle will be cut into the exposed bone. Because the membrane of the maxillary sinus is attached to the bone, as the circle is pressed upward, the membrane will detach, forming an empty space between the maxilla and the sinus itself. This space will then be filled with bone graft, which can come from a few different sources. A sample from the patient’s own jaw or ilium (hip bone) can be taken prior to the sinus lift and ground up; this is known as an autograft. Alternatively, bone can be taken from a cadaver (constituting an allograft) or from another animal such as a cow (a xenograft), or an artificial but biocompatible bony tissue may be used. The bone graft flakes are inserted into this space, the hole in the bone is sealed, and the gum is replaced. After several months, the bone graft will have been assimilated by the body, forming a structurally sound component of the maxilla. From there, a titanium base can be drilled into the new bone, which will be able to serve as the permanent home for a new dental implant once the tissue heals a second time.

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The experienced Buffalo oral surgeons at Teach Dental Group have provided affordable sinus lift surgery for dental implants for over 40 years. Schedule an appointment today and let us put a smile on your face.

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