Sinus Elevation

The nasal sinuses exist within the upper jaw bone and are close to the roots of the posterior teeth. When the back teeth are lost, the jaw bone shrinks and the sinuses may expand down into the area where the roots of the teeth once existed. This is called pneumitization. If implants are to be utilized to replace the missing back teeth then a sinus elevation procedure with a bone graft may be required prior to implant placement. The sinus membrane can be elevated and grafting materials placed under the Schneiderian membrane to re-grow the bone that was lost. Approximately 9 months of healing is required prior to implant placement when the lost bone is extensive. There are situations where the implants can be placed at the same time as sinus augmentation thus cutting down the overall length of treatment time.