Ridge augmentation, sinus lifts, bone grafts, kind of all fall under what we call regenerative therapy. We’re trying to regrow what the disease has destroyed because you need to have a certain amount of bone to be able to place an implant. And due to either periodontal disease or possibly a infection that you had, a tooth fractured below the gum and they have to remove bone to get the tooth out, then we’re gonna have to rebuild some of that bone because the implant is essentially a tooth root that goes in the bone. There has to be an adequate amount of bone to place that to make it stable, just like a tooth is stable.
So what we do is we’ll place bone in a socket. A new bone will grow. Sometimes that happens on the upper jaw and there’s a sinus there. So that’s a limiting factor. We can’t put an implant in the sinus. So we do a procedure called a sinus lift. We gently raise the sinus up, we add bone kind of to regenerate that bone, to increase the height of the bone, and then that allows us to place the implant. Sometimes again, we’re able to do that. At this time of the sinus lift, we can place the implant. In very rare cases we can’t, but we will look at a CT scan and be able to determine that. So you’ll know before we go in, yes, we can do this, or no we can’t. It’s gonna take this period of time or longer.
Make Room for Implants With a Sinus Lift in St. Petersburg
If you’ve lived with missing teeth or worn dentures for years, you’ve likely experienced significant bone loss in your jaw. If you are ready to become a candidate for implants, you may need certain treatments to prepare your mouth.
If you are getting implants in your upper jaw, a sinus lift in St. Petersburg can make room for these artificial tooth roots. As a result, you will:
- Regain your natural oral function
- Enjoy eating the foods you love again
- Get one step closer to implants
- Become more confident about your smile’s condition
- Stop the bone loss in your jaw
Call 727-732-3173 for a consultation. Check out our testimonials to see how our patients have enjoyed life-changing benefits with implants. There’s never a need to feel nervous at our practice, as sedation options are available. You can also relax in our heated massage chairs and block out the sounds of our equipment with our headphones and TVs.
Schedule Your Implant ConsultationPrepare Your Smile for Dental Implants
Implants are a life-changing procedure. They give you back your strong bite and restore your chewing power. If you want implants in your upper jaw but have lost bone mass, you may need a sinus lift. It makes room for implants by raising the sinus ridge and adding bone material to the upper jaw.
As a periodontist, Dr. Crawford has vast experience with dental implants, including surgical procedures to prepare for them. If he determines you require the procedure, he’ll discuss exactly what you should expect. He’ll take time to answer your questions. He’ll use digital X-rays and 3-D scans of your mouth for planning purposes.
Once the sinus lift has been completed, your mouth requires time to heal. It also gives the new bone in your jaw a chance to integrate with any existing bone. When it’s time, you’ll come back to our office for your implants. Your options include:
- All-on-4 Dental Implants – We’ll anchor your new teeth to four to six implants in your upper jaw. Based on the strength of your jaw, Dr. Crawford will determine the optimal number of implants. The treatment is typically faster and easier than other full-mouth implant placements.
- Implant-Supported Dentures – When dentures are attached to implants, you won’t need messy adhesive. You’ll have almost natural bite strength. You also won’t have to worry about your dentures getting loose over time.
To learn more about a sinus lift in St. Petersburg or to make an appointment, call 727-732-3173. You can also schedule online.
Schedule Your Implant ConsultationA sinus lift is a type of bone graft that adds new bone to your upper jaw to make it strong enough to support dental implants. During the procedure, your dentist will place synthetic bone material in your upper jaw to promote the growth of new bone cells. The goal is to raise the floor of your sinuses to make room for new bone growth, hence the name “sinus lift.”
Most patients report minimal discomfort during and after a sinus lift procedure. Your dentist will use local anesthesia to numb the area. We can also offer sedation to keep you relaxed and pain-free. After the procedure, you may experience some minor discomfort, but it can usually be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.
Sinus lifts are necessary when the upper jaw has insufficient bone volume to support dental implants. This can occur due to bone loss from periodontal disease, tooth loss, or natural bone resorption. The sinus lift procedure creates additional space in the upper jaw by lifting the sinus membrane and adding bone graft material. It builds a stronger foundation for the dental implant to be placed, resulting in successful and long-lasting results.