A lateral sinus augmentation in Centennial, CO, also known as a lateral window, is a surgical procedure, performed at Periodontal Associates to increase the amount of bone available for long-term dental implant health in the back of the upper jaw. This procedure is particularly important when someone lacks bone height in the back of the upper jaw because the sinuses may be too low.
Understanding What Sinus Augmentation is?
Our periodontists and team want to provide you with some info on how it works and why it is sometimes needed for the long-term success of a dental implant.
- Understanding the Anatomy: In your upper jaw, there are empty spaces called sinus cavities that exist over the back teeth. When you lose your back teeth, the bone that used to support those teeth can start to shrink, and this can reduce the amount of bone available for a dental implant replacement.
- The Procedure: After meeting the surgery team, Dr. Dan Thousand or Dr. Katelyn Fleming will use the latest dental technology to measure your existing bone and determine how much bone is needed. During the lateral sinus augmentation, one of our skilled periodontists will make a small incision in the gum tissue near where the dental implant will be placed. Then, they carefully lift the sinus membrane away from the sinus floor, creating a space. This space is filled with bone graft material — usually a mixture of your own and donor bone. This graft material supports the growth of new bone over time.
- Bone Healing: As time passes, your body’s natural healing processes work to integrate the graft material with your existing bone. New bone cells gradually grow into the grafted area, making the jawbone stronger and taller.
- Implant Placement: Once the grafted bone has healed and become stable, usually several months after the sinus augmentation, Dr. Thousand or Dr. Fleming will place a dental implant securely in the newly augmented bone. The additional bone height created by the sinus lift ensures that the implant has a solid foundation to hold onto.
- Long-Term Success: At Periodontal Associates, we pride ourselves in the long-term success rates of our implants. If indicated, the lateral sinus augmentation is crucial for this success because it provides enough bone support for the implant to integrate properly with your jawbone. Without this procedure, there might not be enough bone height to hold the implant securely, and the implant could fail to integrate or lead you to have chronic sinus issues.
Lateral sinus augmentation in Centennial, Colorado, is a procedure that helps create a stronger and taller foundation of bone in the upper jaw, allowing for successful dental implant placement. It is particularly important when there is not enough bone due to the presence of sinus cavities. By ensuring proper bone support, this procedure enhances the chances of a dental implant’s stability, function and overall success. We invite you to call 303-795-5700 to schedule your consultation to learn more and decide whether a sinus augmentation is the best option for your treatment plan.