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A sinus lift is surgery that
adds bone to your upper jaw in the area of your molars
and premolars. It's sometimes called a sinus
augmentation. The bone is added between your jaw and the
maxillary sinuses, which are on either side of your
nose. To make room for the bone, the sinus membrane has
to be moved upward, or "lifted."
A sinus lift is done when
there is not enough bone in the upper jaw, or the
sinuses are too close to the jaw, for dental implants to
be placed. There are several reasons for this:
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Many people who have lost
teeth in their upper jaw — particularly the back teeth,
or molars — do not have enough bone for implants to be
placed. Because of the anatomy of the skull, the back of
the upper jaw has less bone than the lower jaw. |
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Bone may have been lost
because of periodontal (gum) disease. |
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Tooth loss may have led to a
loss of bone as well. Once teeth are gone, bone begins
to be resorbed (absorbed back into the body). If teeth
have been missing for a long time, there often is not
enough bone left to place implants. |
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The maxillary sinus may be
too close to the upper jaw for implants to be placed.
The shape and the size of this sinus varies from person
to person. The sinus also can get larger as you age.
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Undergoing sinus lift
surgery has been shown to greatly increase your chances
for successful implants that can last for years to come.
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