Bone Graft – Sinus Augmentation

Sinus bone grafts are performed to help regenerate missing bone in the upper posterior jaw. The maxillary sinuses are air-filled cavities which lie behind your cheeks and on top of the upper posterior teeth. Some of the roots of natural upper teeth may extend upwards into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, the remaining jawbone has a tendency to shrink in size, and the maxillary sinus tends to grow into the space of the missing tooth roots. The remaining jawbone is very thin (Figure 1).

Dental implants require bone to hold them in place, just like the bone that surrounds the roots of natural teeth. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place implants in this bone. Fortunately, a sinus augmentation may be done to help regenerate this missing bone. In the most common sinus augmentation procedure, a small opening is prepared into the bone overlying the maxillary sinus, and the membrane lining the sinus is pushed upward (Figure 2). The underlying space is filled with bone graft material. The area is then left to heal for several months to allow the bone graft to incorporate. Dental implants are then inserted in the newly regenerated bone (Figures 3-6).

In certain cases, there may already be enough bone to allow the placement of an implant and sinus augmentation at the same time. Dr. Valentin Dabuleanu will determine which type of bone graft and implant procedure is right for you.

The procedure takes approximately two hours. It may be done with local anaesthetic alone, or in combination with sedation (see “Sedation”). Most patients are back at work two days after having had a sinus augmentation procedure. The majority of healing takes place during the first month, and patients may then resume most of their normal eating and oral hygiene practices (see “Post-Operative Instructions”). You will be seen for a 1-week and 4-week post-operative check.