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 Consultation
Prepare 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 ConsultationDr. Crawford provided exceptional and compassionate service by helping me fix my left front tooth, which is an implant that fell out of my mouth this morning. Dr. Crawford, accompanied by his wonderful wife, Madelyn came to the office, even during this Memorial Day holiday weekend to bring healing and to restore me to my former self.They were warm, kind, and I felt as if I were a family member. God’s blessings upon the entire Crawford family and office staff. I definitely recommend Dr. Crawford’s office to anyone looking for a highly skilled and empathetic specialty dentist. This is a holiday weekend and Dr. Crawford didn’t even charge me. That’s Grace from on high. Thank you God for giving Dr. Crawford wisdom and knowledge to do such intricate work.
I’ve been a patient with Dr Crawford for nearly 25 years. He and his staff are very up to date on new procedures, very friendly, efficient easy to work with if you need to rearrange appointments and helpful dealing with insurance. I think you would have a hard time finding another office with more knowledge and experience to handle your periodontal issues.
Dr Crawford and his staff are very professional yet very personal. They go out of their way to make you feel comfortable. They listen to your problem and try to find a quick solution. I am so happy that my dentist referred me to them. Choosing a dentist is an easy. They have opened up the office, especially for me to get some thing done hands-down the best.
Dr Crawford and his staff are wonderful. They are friendly, competent, and compassionate. They make you feel comfortable and relaxed. The office is immaculate and the decor pleasing. They have taken care of my teeth for decades. I seriously doubt I would still have my own teeth if it were not for their care. And I am 80 years old!
I recommend Dr Crawford without hesitation.
My whole experience has been amazing. The entire office is professional, friendly, and very talented. Dr Crawford is so kind. I feel so lucky to have found him. I had 2 implants and I couldn’t be happier!
My procedure fixed a gum recession issue on my lower left. Dr Crawford and his staff were very thorough and all went well. It’s been two months now and the graft is healing up nicely. All of the follow up appointments went smoothly and on time. No issues what so ever.
The most amazing dentist/surgeon! The entire staff works as a team and make me feel like family. Dr Crawford is the very best and does excellent work! They gave me my smile back! Highly recommended 10 star for sure!!
I loved the care and treatment I received on my teeth today but also the registered hygienist was very professional and personable. Really I felt a sense of relief and not downgraded as in the past. I want to work with her again! Dr Crawford was great as always!!! Thanks. For once I felt good leaving the dental office.
Mary Hinderscheid
I have been a patient and recommended patients to Dr. Crawford for many years. He and his staff have always been very professional and accommodating . The quality of his work is excellent. If you need a periodontist Dr Crawford is the Dr. to see.
Every single person in the office was so welcoming, attentive and personable. I felt that I had made new friends and not just met new staff. I am so very happy that I chose Dr. Crawford and his amazing staff!!
A 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.
