Why would you need a Sinus Lift?

A sinus lift is performed when there is not enough bone height in the upper jaw, or the sinuses are too close to the jaw, for dental implants to be placed. There are several reasons for this:

• Many people who have lost teeth in their top jaw — particularly the back teeth, or molars — do not have enough bone for implants to be placed. Because of the anatomy of the skull, the back of the upper jaw has less bone than the lower jaw.
• Bone may have been lost because of periodontal (gum) disease.
• Tooth loss may have led to a loss of bone as well. Once teeth are gone, bone begins to be resorbed (absorbed back into the body). If teeth have been missing for a long time, there often is not enough bone left to place implants.
• The maxillary sinus may be too close to the upper jaw for implants to be placed. The shape and the size of this sinus varies from person to person. The sinus also can get larger as you age.

Sinus lifts have become common during the last 15 years as more people get dental implants to replace missing teeth.

Preparation

The bone used in a sinus lift may come from your own body or from an artificial bone.

You will need a specialized 3d Scan before your sinus lift to study the anatomy of your jaw and sinus. This 3d Scan will enable the accurate assessment of the height and width of your existing bone and to evaluate the health of your sinus. This 3d Scan is bulk billed and will be undertaken at the time of your consultation.