Do You Need a Sinus Lift Surgery in South Ogden, UT?
See Dr. Kevin L. Norris, D.M.D. for Sinus Augmentation
Dental implants offer a natural-looking tooth replacement option for those who have missing teeth caused by decay or trauma. However, dental implants involve surgically inserting small titanium posts into your jawbone. For patients who have lost significant bone mass in their jaw, other procedures such as sinus augmentation or bone grafting may be required before they can be considered successful candidates for dental implants. Dr. Kevin L. Norris, D.M.D. provides sinus augmentation, also known as a sinus lift surgery, for South Ogden, UT patients of all ages. Talk to our team today about how we can help you improve your chances of being a successful candidate for dental implants with a sinus lift.
How Does Bone Loss Affect Dental Implant Stability?
Every time you chew your food, your teeth’s roots stimulate your jaw, and your body is triggered to send nutrients to increase your jawbone’s strength. When you lose teeth, you also lose this jawbone stimulation and fewer nutrients are sent, resulting in eventual bone mass loss. Trying to place dental implants where there is weak or insufficient bone mass compromises their ability to integrate and their overall stability. As you begin to lose bone mass, the distance between your jaw and sinus cavities also decreases, resulting in chronic sinus infections and issues with the support of dental implants.
What Is Sinus Lift Surgery? How Does It Help?
Sinus lift surgery helps restore jawbone mass and strength while also protecting your sinus cavities. Sinus augmentation requires bone grafting to increase jawbone mass. The bone grafting material allows new bone growth to occur in your upper jaw, which is what will support your future dental implants. This also ensures there’s enough space between your jaw and sinus cavities so that dental implants won’t be a problem. As more patients need dental implants to replace missing teeth, sinus lifts have also become more common among general dentistry practices.
Dr. Kevin L. Norris, D.M.D. offers several types of bone grafting for sinus lifts, including autografts, allografts, xenografts, and alloplasts. Autografts use bone from your own body, while allografts use bone obtained from a compatible donor. Xenografts use bone from an animal donor (usually a cow), while alloplasts use synthetic bone grafting material created in a lab. We’ll determine the best type of bone graft to use for your sinus lift surgery during your consultation. You can rest assured we take accurate measurements of your existing jawbone’s height and width to ensure a perfect fit. All bone grafting material is also sterilized and processed carefully to avoid rejection or disease transmission.
What Happens During a Sinus Lift Surgery?
Sinus lift surgery usually requires local anesthesia to numb the area, although oral or IV sedation may be provided depending on the patient’s preferences. Small incisions will be made in your gums you’re your molars or premolars, as well as in your jawbone. We’ll lift your sinus cavities upward and away from your jawbone in order to place the bone grafting material beneath them. Finally, we’ll suture your gum incisions closed. Sinus lift surgery takes anywhere from 90 to 120 minutes on average.
How Long Is Recovery After Sinus Augmentation?
Once the anesthesia wears off, you’ll be able to go home after your sinus lift surgery. Many patients experience minimal discomfort, bleeding, or swelling after sinus lift surgery, but over-the-counter pain relievers and ice therapy are helpful during recovery. You should avoid blowing your nose as much as possible for the first few days, as this could cause the bone grafting material to shift and loosen your sutures. We may give you a saline spray solution to help keep your nose moist or a prescription for the pain or swelling. You should be able to resume normal activities within a few days. It can take up to seven months for full bone regeneration and healing to occur before we can place your dental implants. In the interim, we’ll likely require you to see us periodically to monitor your new bone growth and ensure everything is healing as it should. Once your jawbone’s mass and strength have been restored, we can begin the dental implants process.
Comprehensive Dental Care for Your Entire Family
Dr. Kevin L. Norris, D.M.D. has been practicing general dentistry since 1999. Every patient is a priority at our dental practice, which offers general, cosmetic, and restorative treatments for the entire family. Our staff strives to create a welcoming, comfortable setting to put patients at ease from the minute they walk through the door. Whether you’re here for your semiannual checkup or you have a dental emergency, you’re in good hands with our capable, caring dental team. Among the dental services we offer are teeth cleanings, teeth whitening, tooth-colored fillings, root canals, dentures, veneers, dental implants, CEREC same-day crowns, wisdom teeth removal, teeth aligners, oral surgeries, and more.
Schedule an Appointment to Discuss Sinus Lift Surgery
Do you have questions or concerns regarding sinus lift surgery at our South Ogden, UT practice? We urge you to reach out to us and schedule an appointment for a consultation. Our office accepts new patients and walk-in dental emergencies with same-day service available. Don’t forget to ask about our new patient specials and discount plan, which can save you money on co-pays without the hassle of filing claims or dealing with third-party insurance companies. All pre-existing conditions are covered. Our premier plan offers a 25% discount on all dental services with two exams, cleanings, and fluoride treatments covered, as well as two emergency visits per year. Contact our team today to learn more!