Sinus Augmentation

A key to implant success is the quality and quantity of the bone where the implant is to be placed. When patients lose their upper back teeth, there will be a greater chance for them to have less bone in their upper jaw due to the anatomy of the skull, and a natural process that occurs after the tooth is removed, called pneumatization. Additional indications for a sinus augmentation include:

• Destruction of bone due to infection

• The natural process of bone resorption back into the body because there is no teeth or implants in the area to retain the bone

• The close proximity of the maxillary sinus to the upper jaw

During sinus augmentation procedure, Dr. Rasmussen will gently raise the sinus floor to the appropriate height. He will then fill the area with particulate bone graft material and then suture the tissue closed. This will assist in building bone as a support to allow an implant to be placed. Depending on the patient's case, the implant can either be placed the same day as the sinus lift, or after the first procedure has fully healed.

Due to the nature of the surgery, this procedure should only be completed by a highly skilled surgeon such as Dr. Rasmussen.