Sinus Lift in Mundaring

In general, the sinus lift procedure is safe and straightforward. A sinus augmentation is commonly performed at the office of a dentist. Most of the process takes between 90 minutes and two hours.

1. The patient is sedated using local or general anesthesia as a first step. The use of nitrous oxide by dentists is less frequent, but this is possible if needed.
2. To expose your jawbone, the dentist will cut the gum tissue where your back teeth used to be.
3. Once the jawbone is exposed and the tissue is raised, the dentist will cut a small circle in the bone through which they can gently press against the membrane of the sinuses.
4. By lifting the bone piece into the sinus cavity space, the hole will be filled with the previously determined bone graft.
5. After this is done, the dentist will use sutures to close the incision once this is completed.

Many patients wonder if a sinus lift is a painful procedure or not. A sinus augmentation, or sinus lift is generally not painful but uncomfortable. The procedure is usually painless, but afterwards, a patient can expect some discomfort for a short time. Swelling and bleeding may occur, but your dentist will likely prescribe pain medications and antibiotics to relieve these symptoms.

Sinus lifts involve raising the maxillary sinus to allow room for new bone to develop. The maxillary sinuses are air-filled cavities just above the back of the upper jaw. With the sinus lifted, there’s more bone available for a dentist to install a dental implant.

Without enough upper jawbone, the implant cannot properly attach, and your new implant won’t be able to perform some more demanding functions, like chewing. To ensure your comfort, you will remain anesthetized throughout the procedure. You can also reduce swelling and relieve pain by applying ice or taking over-the-counter medications. However, almost everyone can return to normal within two weeks after surgery if they follow post-surgery instructions carefully.

Both bone grafts and sinus lifts perform the same function; however, they are not similar. These procedures create a stable, sturdy foundation for dental implant surgery.

A bone transplant involves placing a portion of bone taken from an animal, donor tissue, or another part of your body into the gum line and allowing it to heal.
Sinus lifts are similar, yet they are done to the upper teeth. Making a hole in the gum tissue, raising the sinus membrane, and putting bone powder into the area are all part of the procedure. This bone will eventually fuse with the surrounding tissue, thus strengthening it.

Most patients experience swelling and bleeding after a sinus lift, but only minor discomfort. During recovery, an essential part is to keep the bone graft in place, so avoid blowing your nose or sneezing as either of these actions can cause the bone-graft material to move and loosen the stitches.

You will likely get a saline spray to keep your nose moist, a prescription to prevent congestion and swelling, a prescription for pain medication, an antibiotic, and an antimicrobial mouthwash to help prevent infection. Patients are typically in bed with ice around the area until they can resume normal activities.

Our dentist will schedule a follow-up appointment 7-10 days after your surgery. At this appointment, the dentist will examine the surgical site and remove stitches that have not dissolved on their own. Occasionally, patients are asked to return a few more times to ensure the area is healing properly and taking any necessary x-rays.

The sinuses heal completely after a sinus lift, and the bones become strong enough to support dental implants after a minimum of 6 months. Despite the seeming length of the process, you are working for results that you can enjoy for a lifetime.

As a surgical procedure, a sinus lift carries some risks. One of the main risks of this surgery is the piercing or tearing of the membrane. Fortunately, a repair can be performed when this occurs, and the surgery can continue. In some cases of a large tear, the membrane would need to heal first before the lifting can be performed again.

Sinus infections pose the most significant risk. To prevent this, you will be given medication. It would be best if you avoided sneezing or blowing your nose excessively so as not to move the bone graft material or loosen the stitches. During allergy season, we don’t recommend getting a sinus augmentation.