Shindang-dong Dental Clinic: Implant Surgery (Sinus Lift) for Long-Lost Teeth

Hello,

I am Dr. Kim Tae-young, the head director of Bareunyoung Dental Clinic, explaining cases personally treated by the head director.

If you have received implant treatment or are currently interested in implants, you have likely heard a lot about alveolar bone grafting, commonly known as bone grafting.

Among various alveolar bone grafting procedures,

when implants are needed in the upper jaw

and sufficient bone height cannot be secured,

a procedure called vertical bone augmentation is necessary to place the desired implant length.

This is called sinus lift surgery.

Today, when placing dental implants,

various alveolar bone grafting procedures are required,

and among them, we will learn about sinus lift surgery.

I lost my tooth a long time ago and couldn't receive treatment.

One molar was missing in each of the three spaces, excluding the upper right.

The patient said they couldn't visit the dentist in the past

and had been living with extracted teeth due to poor dental health.

In particular, the teeth in the marked area were significantly tilted,

and severe alveolar bone resorption had occurred, often leading to swelling and making management difficult.

When they first visited, their symptoms improved through gum treatment, and they lived with it for a while,

but periodontitis gradually progressed, making it very difficult to manage.

After consulting with the patient, we decided to extract the worst teeth first

and proceed with implant treatment.

As indicated in the photo,

the red-marked area is the amount of remaining alveolar bone,

and the white area above it is the maxillary sinus space, also known as the paranasal sinus.

Since it is an empty space with nothing in it,

the maxillary sinus space must be utilized to place the desired implant.

Sinus Lift Surgery

This is an example photo similar to the patient's situation.

Alveolar bone resorption occurred in the tooth loss area over a long period,

resulting in insufficient remaining bone.

The maxillary sinus membrane is gently lifted to secure space,

and if bone graft material is needed, it is reinforced before proceeding with implant placement.

The thinner the remaining natural bone, the greater the amount of bone graft material required.

After securing sufficient bone height, the implant is placed in the corresponding position,

and sufficient time is waited until the bone graft material integrates with the implant.

Various Methods of Sinus Lift Surgery

To gently lift the maxillary sinus,

additional instrument manipulation is required, demanding delicate work.

There are several methods.

Methods that physically push up the bone,

methods that use water, known as hydraulic lift,

and other methods exist,

but the method I will discuss, which I am currently using,

is a method of lifting the maxillary sinus membrane along with bone grafting.

Since all methods are verified procedures,

I cannot say that one is particularly better,

but I find this method allows for intuitive assessment of the lift amount and progress during surgery,

so I use it with additional materials.

This is a syringe containing bone graft material for maxillary sinus lift.

It is curved like a banana,

hence called the ‘banana technique’.

A dedicated kit is used to carefully create a path to the entrance of the maxillary sinus,

and then the membrane is gently lifted.

By taking X-rays periodically to confirm the lift,

before placing the implant,

additional bone graft material was added to the insufficient space as shown in the photo, and the surgery was completed.

Time Required from Surgery to Prosthesis

We evaluated the success of the surgery using 3D CT before and after.

The empty maxillary sinus space before surgery

is now seen to have the implant, represented in white, well-surrounded by bone graft material after surgery.

You are probably most curious about how long it takes from surgery until the prosthesis is completed and you can chew.

Generally, if the initial stability of the implant is good, the prosthesis is completed in about 3 months.

However, in cases involving alveolar bone grafting, it can take 4-5 months, and if the bone is weak, it may take up to 6 months.

Since the surgery was successful, if there are no special problems, the treatment can be completed within the planned period.

Post-operative precautions:

Since the surgery involved lifting a thin membrane, the membrane is weakened.

Clear nosebleeds may occur,

and you must absolutely not blow your nose at this time.

The surgical site should not be stimulated until it stabilizes.

Today, we looked at one of the various procedures that can be done to supplement insufficient alveolar bone space when placing implants in the upper jaw.

Since the approach can vary depending on the environment in different cases,

if you have similar concerns,

I recommend visiting a dental clinic, getting a 3D CT scan,

and receiving a detailed diagnosis.

I hope this has been of some help with any questions you may have,

and I will return with another case next time.

Thank you^^

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We believe that proper treatment leads to proper results. My desired dental clinic is one that makes all patients who visit with worries leave feeling reassured and confident. - Bareunyoung Dental Clinic

Directions: 2nd floor, JYJ Building, 179 Dongho-ro. Right in front of Exit 6 of Yaksu Station, towards Yaksu Market. Use Village Bus 5 (Yaksu Station), Village Bus 12 (Namsan Town, Yaksu Police Station), Bus Stop (Yaksu Heights, Shindang Social Welfare Center, Gaon Library, Geumho Tunnel Entrance). From YuYu Pharmaceutical towards Geumho Station.

This post was written directly by Bareunyoung Dental Clinic for the purpose of providing medical information and hospital advertising (in compliance with Article 56, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act).

Frequently Asked Questions

When is sinus lift surgery necessary?

Sinus lift surgery is necessary when there is insufficient bone height in the upper jaw for implant placement. It is often performed in cases where teeth have been lost a long time ago, leading to severe alveolar bone resorption.

How is sinus lift surgery performed?

Sinus lift surgery involves carefully lifting the maxillary sinus membrane to create space, then filling that space with bone graft material to create sufficient bone volume for implant placement.

How long does it take from sinus lift surgery to prosthesis?

For implant surgeries accompanied by alveolar bone grafting, such as sinus lift surgery, it usually takes about 4-5 months, and in cases where the bone is weak, it may take up to 6 months.

What precautions should be taken after sinus lift surgery?

After sinus lift surgery, the membrane is weakened because a thin membrane was lifted. Clear nosebleeds may occur, but you must not blow your nose at this time, and the surgical site should not be stimulated until it stabilizes.

What are the different types of sinus lift surgery methods?

There are various methods for sinus lift surgery, including physically pushing up the bone and using water pressure. This article introduces a method of lifting the maxillary sinus membrane along with bone grafting.