What Are The Main Reasons For A Sinus Lift?
Dental implants are titanium implants drilled into the jawbone, making them solid and durable. However, some people do not have sufficient jawbone for dental implants. That is where a sinus lift comes in. In this article, we will learn all that you should expect if you need this sinus lift treatment in Palm Beach, FL.
What Is A Sinus Lift?
A sinus lift is a surgical procedure dentists recommend for people who want dental implants but do not have sufficient jawbone. Other names for the procedure include sinus augmentation and sinus graft. The sinuses are air-filled spaces in the skull that help lessen the skull’s weight, produce mucus and improve voice quality. The maxillary sinuses are located just above and behind the upper jaw. That is where sinus lifts take place.
A dentist near you can lift the sinus and graft bone in between for a dental implant. People may experience jawbone loss due to congenital disabilities, tooth loss, cancers. Some people have naturally thin jawbones. A dental implant will fail in any of these cases because the implant can not correctly secure within the jawbone.
Sinus Lift Treatment
After your dentist is confident you need sinus treatment near you, what can you expect? The next step will depend on how much jawbone you currently have, the type of bone graft you will get, and the technique for placing your dental implant later. Your dentist will consider all this before choosing the best treatment method for you.
You can expect to get anesthesia for the surgery at a dental office in Palm Beach. Your surgeon will cut into the gum to expose the bone. Next, they will carefully cut some bone while avoiding the sinus membrane. Then, they will lift the cut bone into the sinus cavity to raise the membrane before fixing the bone grafts into the lifted area. Bone grafts may come from other bones in your body, but you can opt for a synthetic bone graft. You will discuss these in detail with your dentist before the procedure. The last thing is to close the area of the incision with sutures.
After Surgery, What Next?
Recovery begins. On average, the jawbone needs 4-12 months for healing. You also have to wait that long before you get your dental implant. In some cases, dentists place the dental implants right away, but that is not the norm.
Some swelling and bleeding are normal after the procedure, but all these usually subside in a few days. Other than these, there are no severe side effects after surgery. There’s one complication you should know of: the perforation of the membrane that lines the maxillary sinus- Schneiderian membrane. This complication increases the risk of a severe sinus infection. At our dental office in Palm Beach, Dr. Mitchell A Joseph will take every precaution necessary to avoid complications.
After surgery, you will have to take antibiotics to prevent an infection. There’s always a risk of dislodged blood clots from activity in that region; hence you need to avoid brushing your teeth or drinking from a straw for some days. Take your prescribed painkillers too. Lastly, do not blow your nose vigorously, as this can displace grafted bone.
Typically, you will need to go in for a follow-up appointment within a week after surgery. However, contact your dentist as soon as possible if you experience any unusual symptoms. These include worsening pain, swelling or bleeding, signs of infection like swelling, fever, or pus. Call your dentist immediately if you also feel that the bone graft has moved out of place.
Can I Need Surgery Twice?
A sinus lift is usually a one-time thing. However, the bone graft may fail to integrate with the existing jawbone in some rare cases, necessitating another surgery. If there’s perforation of the Schneiderian membrane, a dentist may stop the procedure for proper healing. That means the sinus lift surgery will be scheduled for another time.