Loss of back teeth (molars and premolars) may result in excessive forces being placed on your remaining teeth. Fortunately, the use of dental implants and crowns allow you to replace these missing teeth. However, the position of the sinus in the upper back teeth areas may be too low for proper placement of dental implants.
A simple procedure allows bone to be placed beneath the sinus floor, creating enough space to properly place an implant. Various grafting materials are used to encourage your bone to grow more quickly into the area, helping to stabilize the dental implant. The bone graft is eventually replaced by your own bone.
Under certain conditions, an even simpler procedure called an osteotome sinus augmentation can be utilized. This is where the bone remaining under the sinus floor is gently “pushed up”, lifting the floor of the “dropped” sinus. Bone replacement materials are then placed beneath this lifted bone. Once again the bone materials are replaced as your body grows new bone into this area.
Sinus augmentation procedures are highly predictable, with studies reporting over 95% success.
Following sufficient healing of a sinus augmentation (6-10 months), implants are placed in a predictable and successful manner. In certain cases the implant can be placed at the same time the sinus augmentation procedure is completed.