Bone Grafting & Sinus Lifts
About Bone Grafting & Sinus Lifts
Successful placement of dental implants relies upon sufficient bone into which to anchor the implant. In some cases, the site for an implant may not have enough bone, as a result of trauma, infection, resection of tumours or other pathology, or due to bone loss that occurs slowly over time.
In these situations, you may require an additional procedure in order to increase the available bone and improve the chances of successful implant placement and survival.
How do I know if I have enough bone present?
At the time of your consultation, your surgeon will thoroughly examine the potential site for an implant, and carefully review any X-rays you may have had taken.
3-D imaging in the form of a cone-beam CT scan is often done to further evaluate, which can be done in the practice and may be done on the same day as your consultation, time-depending.
FAQs about Bone Grafting & Sinus Lifts
What are the available options?
Depending on the amount of bone required and the site for implant placement, there are a number of solutions in order to increase the bone available.
These include:
Bone grafting: Harvest of bone from another site (the donor region), which is then placed in the implant site and allowed to heal in place. Sometimes, a bone substitute or cadaveric bone can be used.
Sinus lift: In the upper jaw, the maxillary sinus (air-filled space above the jaw) may be utilised to place a bone graft or bone substitute, for upper jaw implants. This requires careful elevation of the lining inside the sinus, to create space for a graft.
How long do I have to wait after bone grafting, before implant placement?
Depending on the site, you may require time between bone grafting and placement of an implant, to allow adequate healing. In some circumstances, a repeat cone-beam CT scan is useful for re-assessment.
In other cases, implants may be able to be placed at the same time, with a bone graft placed for aesthetic reasons, or to improve long-term stability. Your surgeon will discuss this with you at the time of your consultation.
Where will my treatment be done?
Whether you can have treatment under local anaesthetic in the clinic, or under general anaesthetic (asleep) in hospital, is dependent on a number of factors, including the site and size of bone graft placement required, as well as the donor site (usually from another area inside the mouth, but occasionally this may include other body sites, such as the skull, hip or knee).
What are the risks of bone grafting and sinus lift procedures?
The risks of bone grafting and sinus lift may include:
Pain and swelling at both the graft or sinus lift site, as well as the donor site
Infection
Failure of the bone graft to “take” to the site, or heal into place adequately
Resorption or loss of the bone graft
Loss or failure of the implant, despite a successful bone graft procedure
Your surgeon will discuss these risks as well as others with you in more detail at the time of consultation, prior to surgical treatment.