The sinus is an air cavity located in the posterior region of the upper jaw. Its inner surface is lined with an elastic membrane. After extraction of the posterior teeth of the upper jaw, the sinus begins to grow at the expense of the bone of the upper jaw, with the result that there is not enough bone to place an implant and replace a missing tooth. In this case, in order to be able to place the right size implants, we can apply either the method of open sinus lift or closed sinus lift technique.
In the technique of open sinus lift, we create a “bone window” through the mouth in the area we want to regenerate and approach the membrane that covers the inside of the sinus. With careful handling, we lift it and fill the gap with a suitable bone graft (autogenous or xenograft). After a waiting period of 4-6 months, new bone is created in the area and the implants of our choice can be placed. In some cases, the implants are placed at the same time with the sinus lift.
In the technique of closed sinus lift, the position where the implant will be placed is not prepared with rotary tools but with specially shaped osteotomes. These osteotomies are applied sequentially to the bone and with gentle movements the position of the implant is prepared. At the same time the bone is not removed but is collected in the lower part of the cavity and compressed upwards together with the membrane of the sinus. Sometimes it is necessary to place additional bone graft. At the end of the procedure, the implant is placed in the same session.
