Innovative Dental Technique May “Lift” Your Spirits!

According to the Institute for Dental Implant Awareness (IDIA), approximately 105 million Americans have missing teeth. Dental implants offer a trouble-free solution. While high-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more tooth-saving than traditional bridgework, since implants do not rely on neighboring teeth for support. Adequate bone in your jaw is needed to support the implant, and the best candidates have healthy gum tissues that are free of periodontal disease.
"Rapid bone loss after upper teeth are removed and continued bone loss from the pressure of removable bridges can limit the amount of bone available for the placement of dental implants" explains Manhattan cosmetic dentist at Parker Plaza Dental SpecialistDr. Parviz Edalat. Basically, after the upper molars are removed (extracted), the sinus cavity tends to drift closer to the jawbone ridge. Over time, the borders of the sinus cavity may drift so close to the crest of the jaw that there may not be enough bone to place implants. "Lifting up the membrane that covers the sinus floor enables bone graft material to be added into the sinus cavity, which will later be replaced by your own natural bone," adds Dr. Edalat.

A procedure that only applies to patients who want implants in the upper molar areas, the sinus lift, also known as a sinus augmentation, is a procedure employed to increase the amount of bone in the upper molar areas for dental implants. After allowing 6-9 months for the bone graft to become solid and mature, dental implants can be placed. In some cases, implants can be placed at the time of the sinus lift procedure; however, that decision is up to the discretion of the surgeon.