Often times when teeth have been missing for a long period of time or if the surrounding bone has been destroyed by periodontal disease, bone grafting or a sinus lift may be necessary before placing an implant to replace adult teeth. An experienced periodontist, such as Dr. Richard Goldin, can provide a dental implant consultation in Manassas, VA. He will evaluate your needs, as well as determine if you are a candidate for dental implants and if a sinus lift is required in order to accommodate implants to replace adult teeth.

There are sinuses in the premolar and molar areas of the upper arch. For patients that need to replace adult teeth in these areas and have experienced bone loss, a sinus lift may be indicated in order to provide enough bone for placing an implant. Sometimes called sinus augmentation, sinus lift surgery adds bone to your upper jaw to accommodate implants.

For the procedure, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area, and then the gum tissue is pulled back to expose the bone. The lining membrane of the sinus is raised to accommodate the amount of bone graft material needed. Once the bone graft material is placed, the gum tissue is sutured back into place.

Bone graft material can be taken from your own body (autogenous bone), from a cadaver (allogeneic bone,) or from cow bone (xenograft).

Most patients experience very little discomfort following a sinus lift. You may need to return to have the sutures removed in seven to ten days after the surgery. Healing can take up to nine months before the bone is strong enough to accommodate implants to replace adult teeth.

Patients that are looking to replace adult teeth can schedule a dental implant consultation in Manassas, VA with Dr. Goldin. He can help develop a treatment plan to restore your smile and overall oral health. Call today for an appointment and be on your way to the healthy, attractive smile that you deserve.