What Happens During A Sinus Lift?
If you’re considering dental implants in Richmond then you may well have been told that you require a sinus lift prior to the implant procedure. Although this may sound a little daunting, it’s a fairly common procedure which is carried out on patients who don’t have sufficient bone structure in their upper jaw to support the placement of a dental implant. You may also have come across the term ‘sinus grafting’ or ‘sinus augmentation’ which are alternative names for the procedure. The technique is called a ‘lift’ because the sinus membrane is lifted upwards so as to allow enough space for the bone material to be placed.
The bone material is often taken from the patient’s own body, typically from the mouth or hip. Before going ahead with the procedure, CT scans and X-rays will be taken to give the dentist a clear picture of your upper jaw bone structure. At the same time he’ll be able to look into the sinus area in order to obtain accurate measurements of the existing bone’s height and width.
The procedure is quite straightforward and involves your dentist or an oral surgeon making a small incision into your gum where the molars and pre-molars can be found. A small flap of gum tissue is then lifted to reveal the underlying jaw bone, and to give easy access to the sinus membrane, which is then carefully lifted upwards away from the jaw. The empty space is then filled with bone grafting material, which may have come from your body, a donor, or even be artificial bone substitute material. Once this has been packed in tightly, the gums are stitched back together again.
It will then be necessary to allow a healing time in which the bone graft material will bond naturally with the surrounding bone tissue, giving the bone a boost and making it strong enough to support a dental implant and prosthetic crown. Only once this has occurred can a dental implant then be placed.
Dental implants are the best method of replacing missing teeth because they are the only tooth replacement method which replaces the whole of the natural tooth structure. This means that the false tooth not only looks extremely natural, but it will feel and function in much the same way as your other teeth. If you’d like to find out more about getting a dental implant in Richmond then come and have a chat with Dr. Harmit Kalsi at Sheen Dental. We offer a free consultation where we can answer all your questions and ascertain if you are a suitable candidate for implants. Call today on 020 8876 5277 or book your free implant consultation online at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk.