What is a sinus lift?

A sinus lift raises the maxillary sinus floor to make room for bone grafting, a necessary step when the upper back jaw lacks sufficient vertical bone height to anchor a dental implant. When teeth in the upper back (premolars and molars) are missing for an extended time, the underlying bone naturally resorbs and shrinks. This bone loss often leaves too little height between the sinus cavity above and the jawbone below, which would prevent a dental implant from being placed securely.

During the procedure, a dentist or oral surgeon accesses the sinus cavity from the side of the upper jaw, carefully lifts the sinus membrane upward, and places bone grafting material (often from the patient's own bone, a donor source, or a synthetic substitute) into the newly created space. Over several months, this grafted bone integrates and hardens, providing the vertical bone support needed for implant placement. Once healing is complete, an implant can be installed with a stable foundation.

A sinus lift is common in Greenville practices serving patients who have lost posterior teeth and want to restore their bite with implants rather than traditional bridges or dentures. The procedure adds time and cost to implant treatment but enables placement where it would otherwise be impossible. Patients considering implants in the upper back jaw should consult oral surgery implant placement providers to determine whether a sinus lift is needed for their bone anatomy.