Sinus elevator: what it is, types, how and when it is performed

To put dental implants, a certain amount of bone tissue is required. Then there is a place where its base is located. However, sometimes there is too little tissue for the implant to be fixed. The roots of the upper jaw chewing teeth in many people grow in the maxillary sinuses. When these teeth are extracted, there is very little bone tissue. That's why there is a sinus elevator procedure in dentistry, in which tissue is built up before implantation. Let's look at the types of sinus elevators, how and when they are performed.

Open sinus elevator

This surgery follows these steps:

• The doctor or nurse performs anesthesia with an injection or other method.
• In the area where the tissue needs to be augmented, the doctor cuts the gum.
• With a special instrument, he removes the wall of the maxillary sinus, which separates it from the oral cavity.
• The mucous membrane of the sinus is separated and lifted.
• In the resulting space, he sets the material, which will be replaced by bone tissue.

The advantages of open sinus elevator is that the dentist directly sees the state of the tissues and can visually control the entire process. Also, this surgery can create a large volume of bone, even if it was originally only 1 mm.

Closed Sinus Lift

The closed sinus elevator procedure is performed as follows:

• A nurse administers anesthesia at the site of operation.
• The doctor makes an incision in the gum and forms a place for the implants, lifts the mucosa of the maxillary sinus, and fills the cavity with material.
• The doctor then places the dental implants.

Closed sinus elevator is less traumatic, healing is much faster than with open surgery. However, the doctor performs the manipulation by touch, without seeing the tissue, which makes the procedure more difficult.

How and when is a sinus elevator performed?

If the bone tissue to the nasal sinus is 8-10 mm, no bone augmentation is required. Implants are placed in the usual way. A sinus elevator is required if the bone is this high:

• If the tissue reaches 5-8 mm, dentists perform an open bone reconstruction. The specialist peels off the gum mucosa and installs the material, which over time is replaced by bone tissue. And immediately into this material he installs dental implants.
• If the maxillary sinus volume is less than 5 mm, the doctor installs the implant later. First, he builds up the bone, and after six months or more, he places the implant. The dentist places a crown on it after another six months. If the tissue is severely atrophied, it may take about a year for the bone volume to recover.

Sinus elevator lasts from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the complexity of the task. If a small amount of tissue is to be augmented and the mucosa of the maxillary sinuses does not have to be raised high, the operation is faster. When a significant amount of tissue is being augmented, the procedure is longer and consists of several steps that take place at intervals of several months.

To have a successful sinus elevator, you need to contact an experienced doctor. The clinic should have the necessary equipment and materials for this procedure. If you follow the doctor's recommendations, the rehabilitation period is faster and the risk of complications is minimal.