Sinus Lift Treatment: Procedure, Aftercare, Cost and More

Last updated on November 23rd, 2024

A sinus lift can be a pre-requisite operation before getting implants. Dental implants are one of the most common treatments today, but some exceptional cases might require a sinus lift surgery long before your dental implants. Although the surgery is conducted in many clinics today, there are still some points you might be wondering about.

In this guide, you will read about the frequently asked questions about sinus lift and find clear explanations about sinus lift before and after, sinus lift cost, sinus lift aftercare, and more… 

What Is Sinus Lift?

A sinus lift, also known as sinus augmentation or sinus graft, is a surgery to make dental implants easier and stronger. To understand what sinus lifting is, it is better to understand the relation between sinus lift and implant. Although you don’t hear them together in a regular conversation, you should know that not every implant is carried out smoothly and easily. Unfortunately, it is not easy or somehow not even possible to get implants for some people. 

It is crucial to learn about a potentially needed sinus surgery before getting implants. Then, you can refer to your dentist to understand whether you need it or not. However, when it comes to the surgery, the sinus lift procedure is performed by specialized dentists such as oral surgeons or periodontists. 

In this video, Dr. Orhan Ofluoglu, a member of the European Federation of Periodontology and the Turkish Periodontology Foundation, explains sinus lift and how a sinus lift procedure supports successful dental implants.

Who Needs a Sinus Lifting?

Implants have been one of the most common treatments recently. However, we cannot say that a dental implant is a simple procedure. As you might already know, dental implants are placed in the jawbones. Unfortunately, some people don’t have a healthy jawbone due to teeth loss or bone loss. Those people are advised to have a sinus lift before getting their implants placed. By sinus lifting, the surgeon opens some more space for bones to be worked on. Hence, your bones can support the implants more strongly and comfortably. 

If you have lost teeth in your upper jaw and your bone has been reabsorbed in your body, you might need a sinus lift operation before getting dental implants abroad. The good news is that not all cases of tooth loss end up with a lack of bone, so you don’t need to be worried about that very much. However, there are some more factors resulting in bone loss. One of the most common ones is periodontal gum disease. Although you are not losing any teeth, you might have bone loss inside your jaw if you are suffering from periodontal gum disease.

How Is The Sinus Lift Procedure Performed?

A sinus lift procedure includes three stages: pre-surgery, the operation, and post-surgery recovery. Each step ensures the implant has strong support in the upper jaw.

Before the Surgery:
The dental professional will start with an X-ray to assess the jaw area needing treatment. This helps them decide where to lift the sinus and where to make tissue incisions. They will also determine the best bone material for the graft, which may come from the patient, a donor, or a cow.

During the Surgery:
The dental professional carefully cuts the gum tissue to expose the bone. They then create a small circular opening in the bone and gently push it upward toward the sinus. The bone graft material is then placed into this space to support new bone growth. After filling the area with the graft material, they close the incision.

In this infographic, you can see the stages of the sinus lift procedure during the surgery stage.

After the Surgery:
Following the procedure, patients will rest and recover, allowing the bone graft to merge with the jaw over time, creating a stable foundation for future implants.

After the surgery, you will wake from anesthesia and may feel some discomfort. Swelling typically occurs soon after, and applying ice to the face can help reduce it. You will receive medication to relieve pain and prevent infection. It is important to keep the bone graft stable to ensure it merges effectively with your jaw.

To protect the graft, avoid blowing your nose or sneezing, as these actions could disturb the stitches and move the graft. Additionally, keep your nasal passages moist by using saline sprays, as advised.

Around 7–10 days post-surgery, you will have a follow-up appointment. During this visit, the dental professional will check your healing progress, remove stitches if necessary, and may take an X-ray to assess bone development. The jawbone usually requires at least six months to fully support implants, so it’s essential to follow care instructions and be patient during this time.

Is Sinus Lift Procedure Painful?

As reported by many patients, sinus lift or sinus augmentation is not painful. Therefore, they can still concentrate on other things in their lives. However, they also report that the procedure is not comfortable, though. Especially the first 3-5 days can be very uncomfortable for patients, but after that, they feel much better.

How Long Does Sinus Lift Procedure Last?

The sinus lift surgery takes 1-2 hours, depending on the patient’s jaw structure, incision size, etc. The healing period takes 3-4 days. You are invited to a delayed appointment with your dental professional 7-10 days after the operation. However, you cannot get your implants before six months since you need to wait for your bone graft to be part of your existing bone structure. This period can reach 12 months for some patients.

How Much Does Sinus Lift Surgery Cost?

Depending on the source of the bone graft, procedural complexities, and the physician’s or clinic’s pricing, the cost of a sinus lift surgery can change. And, of course, the cost of the operations varies drastically from country to country. For example, a sinus lift operation can cost up to €2,000 in the USA and UK, while it costs €380 in Turkey.

Read more: Dental Implant in Turkey: A Comprehensive Guide

What Are the Risks Of Sinus Lift?

There are some inherent risks in dental sinus lift surgery, as in many other operations. The risks are damage to the sinus membrane, infection, and sinusitis. Sinus membrane puncture might happen, and this might be dangerous for you. However, repairing the membrane is still possible by stitching the sinus tear. Although it is easy to repair, it still makes patients distressed since they need to wait for healing, which makes the procedure longer.

Another risk is an infection, which is a common risk in all operations. Depending on the sterilization of the surgery (including dental professionals, medical tools, surgery room, etc.) and your self-care after the procedure, you can minimize this risk. Another risk, which is very rare, is the non-integration of bone graft. In this case, the grafted areas cannot get blood and cannot be genuinely part of your body. This means you have the same procedure again. 

Sinus Lift: Before and After

Here are two videos showcasing sinus lift results before and after the procedure. Watch to see how a sinus lift enhances bone structure in the upper jaw, creating a stable foundation for future dental implants and transforming smiles.