Sinus Lift in Bend, OR![]() What Happens to Your Jaw After Tooth Loss?One of the roles of your teeth is to provide stimulation for your jawbone. This stimulation occurs every time you chew, and it tells your body to send the nutrients required to keep it strong and healthy. Following tooth loss, your jawbone loses some stimulation, which results in fewer nutrients being sent. Over time, the jaw begins to lose bone mass and weaken. It also begins to change shape, which alters your bite and can lead to issues such as bruxism and TMJ disorder. Dental Implants and Your Maxillary Sinus CavitiesDental Implants are a popular treatment used to replace missing teeth. We surgically place small titanium posts into your jawbone. Your bone fuses to the posts, integrating them into your jaw, and enabling them to provide your new teeth with stability. When you do not have enough bone mass, however, your jawbone may not be able to fuse properly, which can result in loose implant posts and implant failure. When you lose teeth in your upper jaw, particularly near the back of your mouth, you face an additional issue. The bone that separates your jaw from your maxillary sinus cavities becomes thin. Not only is it less able to fuse properly, but implants placed in this condition can also pierce your sinus cavities, leading to chronic sinus infections. It can also lead to the failure of your implant treatment. Sinus Lift for Dental ImplantsJust because the bone is thin, this does not mean you cannot receive dental implants. To make implants possible in this region of your mouth, we may recommend a sinus lift. A sinus lift is a surgical procedure that is done to restore missing bone mass and create greater separation between the jawbone and your sinus cavities. A sinus lift requires a surgical procedure and a bone graft. Surgery begins with small incisions in your gums, right near your premolars and molars. We then make incisions in your jawbone. Small tools are used to lift the floors of your sinus cavities, creating an empty space underneath. Bone grafting material is placed in this space. As you heal, your existing bone fuses to the graft, restoring strength and distance. Once you have fully healed, your implants can be placed in more successful treatment. Types of Bone Grafts for a Sinus LiftTo perform a sinus lift, we need to also perform a bone graft. There are a few different types of bone grafts that may be performed, including:
With a sinus lift, we can put more distance between dental implants and your maxillary sinus cavities, which protects these cavities while strengthening your jaw for implant success. Call Aesthetic Dentistry of Bend - Thomas E. Wold, DMD at (541) 389-0261 for more information and to schedule your consultation today. |