What is a sinus lift? While this procedure may sound a little scary, it’s actually one of the most straight-forward grafting surgeries there is. When a doctor is planning an implant surgery, they consider a number of variables. One of the most important variables is how much bone height is available in an area that needs a dental implant. Dental implant surgeons deduce this information by looking at a CT scan of your mouth.
Sinus cavities can sometimes be large and in the way of an ideal implant site. In cases where the sinuses are in the way of an implant’s placements, a surgeon may recommend the patient get a sinus lift, also known as a sinus graft.
Essentially, this procedure adds bone to the sinus to increase bone height in order to place an implant. This procedure can be done under local anaesthetic or general anaesthetic and patients generally experience little to no discomfort during the procedure.
If only a small amount of bone is needed to be grafted, the sinus lift can usually be done at the same time as the dental implant placement. If the area needs significant amounts of bone, a dentist will wait a minimum of five months for the donor bone to take before placing an implant.
A sinus lift does add additional cost to an implant procedure, and it’s similar in cost to other grafting, such as gingival or bone grafting. On average, a patient is looking from $2,500-$3,000 dollars for a sinus graft procedure.
If a sinus graft has been recommended to you and you’re worried that it sounds very invasive or painful, rest assured that it is actually a very straightforward procedure for an experienced surgeon. Sinus lifts are one of the most successful forms of grafting and very easily tolerated by most patients.
