Have you Been Told you Need a Sinus Lift? Here’s Why
As the go-to dental implant clinic in London, Aqua Dental deals with hundreds of missing teeth cases every year.
So, if you’ve been refused dental implants by another local practice, invite us to look and see what we can do.
As we deal with various complex cases each year, there are various methods and techniques we can employ to replace gaps in your mouth – even instantly.
For example, we use sinus augmentations and bone grafts to make your mouth and jawbone strong enough again to be able to hold a set of dental implants for life.
You can learn more about the procedure below, or get in touch with us to see how we can help you.
What are sinus lifts?
Simply, sinus lifts are surgical procedures that are often required before having implants positioned in the upper jaw.
A sinus lift is part of the bone graft procedure, where we build up the bone between your upper jaw and the sinus membranes.
The sinus lift in this case will naturally fuse with your jaw, which allows for the placement of implants.
Quick answers to important sinus lift questions:
How painful is a sinus lift?
Sinus augmentations are not necessarily painful, but patients should expect some discomfort. During the procedure you are unlikely to feel any pain, however, afterwards you feel somewhat uncomfortable for a short period of time as the anaesthesia wears off.
Why do I need a sinus lift?
We’ll dive into more detail in a section below on why they’re necessary, but in short, you will require a sinus lift when there has been some deterioration to the natural jaw and gum tissue that’s often experienced after tooth loss.
How complicated is a sinus lift?
A sinus lift is a relatively straightforward procedure, but some unpleasantness may be experienced due to the nature of the procedure. Patients will be required to rest following the procedure up to 10 days to allow the area to heal safely.
How long does it take to recover from a sinus lift?
The procedure itself should be around 1-2 hours. The recovery period can take up to 6 months to achieve a completely healed and for the jawbone to be strong enough to support dental implants. And whilst this may seem like a long period, you’ll be working towards successful results that last a lifetime.
Will a sinus lift change facial appearance?
Patients can expect an improved appearance as the bone that has been lost in the upper jaw is restored. Your facial appearance will change for the better as we reverse the sunken, prematurely aged look caused by tooth loss.
But why are sinus lifts necessary?
Dental implants are titanium artificial tooth roots that screw into your jawbone. For implantation to be successful there needs to be enough bone surrounding the implant for it to heal properly.
If you have had missing teeth for a considerable amount of time (often more than six months), then they encourage bone loss in the jaw – and with little bone in the jaw, there is little security to hold the implant.
Not only this but as we get older, our sinus cavities increase in size resulting in bone loss. Gum disease and tooth extractions can also cause this to happen too.
Whilst it might sound like a daunting procedure, we would like to remind you that if you undertake surgery here at Aqua Dental, you will be properly looked after and cared for by our experienced surgeons and dentists.
If you feel particularly anxious, we are proud to offer some of the best dental sedation techniques and always go the extra mile to ensure our patients feel comfortable.
How are sinus lifts performed?
After a clinical assessment of your mouth, we will determine whether you need a sinus lift as well as see if you are a suitable candidate for dental implant treatment. During this time, we might suggest a 3D CBCT scan to assess your jaw’s condition.
Procedure & recovery:
- During the sinus lift: After being given an anaesthetic, our dental surgeon will cut into the gum opening a window into the jawbone revealing the sinus membrane. We will pack the new bone material into the space between your jaw and sinus membrane – we will then close the gum tissue with stitches.
- After the sinus lift procedure: Patients can expect some gum swelling, which is easily managed with over-the-counter painkillers. We might also prescribe infection and anti-inflammatories for any swelling. A week after the procedure we will invite you back into our dental office to have the stitches removed.
- Integration and healing: Four to six months after surgery the bone graft should have successfully integrated with your jawbone. Once this has completely healed you will be able to have implants fitted.
Sinus lift costs
It’s difficult to give one price for sinus augmentations as it will depend on the type of bone graft you require and the complexity of the procedure and which dentists we must involve.
Once we have examined your condition during an implant consultation, we will give you a clear breakdown of treatment costs – patients wishing to receive dental implants can expect these to cost from £2,000.
A consultation with one of our dental specialists is £120.