MAXILLARY SINUS AUGMENTATION

Placing dental implants in the maxillary posterior region can be both challenging and un-nerving for a regular implant dentist who is not well versed with advanced surgical procedures. It is vital for a general dentist to understand the fundamentals of bone grafting the maxillary sinus if he/she is really committed to providing the best health care for their patients. Many patients with edentulous maxillae have inadequate bone volume and vertical height between the ridge and floor of the maxillary sinus, resulting in an inability to insert a fixed prosthesis like dental implant and achieve primary stability necessary for long-term success of implant. Elevation of the maxillary sinus floor is an option to overcome this problem. The importance of the membrane in the sinus lift procedure should not be understated. The various techniques used to perform maxillary sinus augmentation rely on keeping the membrane intact to allow for graft nutrition and a barrier from maxillary sinus cavity. Choosing the appropriate procedure and applying sound surgical technique in appropriate surgical site and along with complications shall be discussed in this dissertation.