Sinus Lift Specialist

What is a sinus lift?

A sinus lift refers to a type of bone grafting procedure that’s designed to raise the floor of your sinuses to replace the damaged bone with new, healthy bone.

You might benefit from a sinus lift if you’re due for a dental implant procedure, when your jaw density is not big enough to accommodate the titanium posts.

Why do I need a sinus lift?

Behind each cheek and on the top of your upper teeth are your maxillary sinuses. At times, the teeth in this area can grow into the air-filled cavities of your sinuses. When this happens, you lose considerable jaw surface, leading to complications and treatment prevention down the line.

If you’ve lost teeth because of injury, decay, or disease, the wall of bone between your sinuses and your mouth starts to become very thin.

A sinus lift procedure raises the floor of your sinuses to create more room and allow enough space for treatment, such as a dental implant procedure.

If you’ve had a tooth extraction, Dr. Caskey can recommend a ridge augmentation, which functions similarly to a sinus lift, to recreate the contours of the gum and jaw that were lost as a result of the extraction.

What happens during a sinus lift?

During your appointment at Mississippi Periodontics and Implants, Dr. Caskey first starts by giving you local anesthesia to ensure your utmost comfort. He can do so intravenously. In some cases, you might feel more comfortable with a general anesthetic.

Once you’re sufficiently numb and comfortable, Dr. Caskey makes a small incision in the area around your molars. Using this small opening, Dr. Caskey pushes the lining of your sinuses upward. The space that remains can then be filled with grafted bone.

What can I expect after a sinus lift?

Since this is a surgical procedure, you might experience light bleeding and minor swelling in the days following the procedure.

Dr. Caskey can give you antibiotics or over-the-counter medication recommendations to help with infection prevention and discomfort.

It can take several months for the treatment area to heal. During this healing period, Dr. Caskey asks that you come in regularly to track the progress of your sinus lift.

Once the healing is over, you can proceed with any periodontic procedure you and Dr. Caskey previously discussed.

Sinus lifts can free up enough space in your mouth for you to get the curative and restorative treatments you need. Call the office today or go online to book a sinus lift consultation.