Sinus Lift in Princeton and Flemington, NJ
A sinus lift, also known as sinus augmentation, is a highly specialized bone grafting procedure that is performed to create the necessary support for dental implants in the upper back jaw. The board-certified oral surgeons at West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery have extensive experience helping patients achieve a complete and functional smile with this advanced technique.
What is a Sinus Lift?
The maxillary sinuses are natural, air-filled spaces located just above your upper back teeth. When these teeth are lost, the bone that once supported them often begins to shrink over time. This, combined with the natural anatomy of the sinus, can leave a wall of bone that is too thin to securely anchor a dental implant.
A sinus lift procedure solves this problem by carefully adding bone graft material to the floor of the sinus. This is accomplished by gently elevating the delicate sinus membrane to create a space for the new bone. Over several months, this graft will integrate with your natural bone, creating the proper height and density needed for implant placement.
When is a Sinus Lift Necessary?
A sinus lift is a common and predictable procedure that is recommended when there is not enough bone height in the upper back jaw to support an implant. This procedure is often ideal for:
- Patients who have been missing their upper back teeth for an extended period, leading to significant bone loss.
- Individuals who have naturally large sinuses, leaving little room for implants.
- Anyone who is planning a full-arch restoration and needs a solid foundation in the posterior jaw for support.
- Patients who want to prevent implant complications, such as a perforation into the sinus cavity.
Our Approach to Sinus Lifts
We use a meticulous, multi-step approach to ensure your sinus lift is performed safely and results in the best possible outcome.
1. Meticulous 3D Planning: Your care begins with a comprehensive evaluation and an advanced 3D CBCT scan. This detailed imaging allows our surgeons to precisely measure your existing bone height and to visualize the unique anatomy of your sinus, which is critical for planning a safe and predictable surgery.
2. The Surgical Procedure: Your surgeon will carefully and gently elevate the sinus membrane and then place the bone grafting material into the newly created space. Our surgeons are experts in the delicate techniques required for this procedure, ensuring the integrity of the sinus membrane and the success of the graft.
3. Anesthesia for Your Comfort: A sinus lift is a comfortable in-office procedure. We offer a full range of anesthesia options, from local anesthetic combined with nitrous oxide to IV sedation, to ensure you are completely relaxed and pain-free throughout the surgery.
4. Healing and Implant Placement: After the surgery, the bone graft will need several months to heal and integrate with your jaw. In some cases, if there is enough initial bone to stabilize an implant, it can be placed at the same time as the sinus lift. If not, the implants will be placed after the graft has fully matured.
Patient Testimonials
Hear from our patients about their experiences with Sinus Lift and other procedures.
"Hi, I'm Adam, and I'm from Lambertville, and I came to West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial & Dental Implant Surgery for wisdom teeth removal and a gum graft. The staff was bubbly, energetic, and there to support you. The doctors here are absolutely amazing. They make you feel comfortable, always there to answer questions. Great bedside manners. My procedure went great for both of them. It was probably a day or two recovery, and I was back in action. My quality of life has definitely improved when I have a good smile, makes me more confident meeting other people. Overall experience here was great. I would a hundred percent recommend West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial & Dental Implant Surgery."
"Hi, I'm Bill from Flemington, and I came to West Jersey Oral Maxillofacial & Dental Implant Surgery for several extractions and dental implants. When I first came into the practice, it felt very welcoming, warm—people were very friendly. The staff here, very professional. The doctor was very empathetic, fully explained what was gonna happen, and during the procedures, actually kept me up to date on what he was doing. The procedures I had done, the extractions as well as the implants, went extremely well. My experience was nurturing, caring. To all my friends in Somerset County, Flemington, and Somerville, I highly recommend West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial & Dental Implant Surgery."
"Hi, I am Bill. I'm from Fort Good River and I came to West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery for a dental implant. When I first walked into the practice, I was greeted very warmly. Everyone was very nice to me. The staff was very attentive, and my doctor was very informative, went over everything that he was going to do, made sure that I didn't have any questions, and that I was very comfortable. My procedure went very well. My quality of life has improved because I can actually chew as if it was my original tooth. My overall experience was very good. I would absolutely recommend West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery to anyone who is really interested in having a good outcome."
"Hi, I'm Gabby from Califon and I came to West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery to have my wisdom teeth removed. When I first walked into this practice, I felt super at ease. There were lots of smiles and friendly faces. It was a great place to be. My doctor was super nice, and when he walked in the room, he introduced himself with the biggest smile on his face, and he told me about the procedure and just really put me at ease. The procedure went so well, and the recovery was easy and smooth. I'm so happy to have a healthy smile. To all my friends and family in Somerset County, Flemington and Somerville. I highly recommend West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery."
"Hi, I'm Jimmy from Lebanon Township and I came to West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery to have my wisdom teeth removed. When I first walked into this practice, I felt at home. Everybody was welcoming, greeted me with smiles and good customer service. Everybody was charismatic and caring. My doctor was very professional, super friendly, and put me at ease before my procedure and answered any questions I had brought to him. My procedure went well. I had practically no time between me finishing my procedure and when I was able to get back to work. Having a healthy smile is really important to me. Out of five stars, I would rate this practice five stars. I would highly recommend people to West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery."
"Hi, I'm Kait from Madison, and I came to West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery for an implant. When I first walked in, I just felt incredibly welcome and at ease. The staff was really accommodating. My doctor is incredibly kind, very open-minded, and empathetic. My procedures went very well. After the procedures, I am very happy. I feel a lot more confident about my smile and ultimately just feel really happy that I have a care team that I know I can rely on. I would happily recommend West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery to friends, family that just really put you at the front as the patient, and it's an excellent experience."
"Hi, I'm Karen from Readington. I came to West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery for a dental implant. When I first walked into the practice, I felt very comfortable. Everybody was welcoming, and they reassured me that everything was going to be fine. My doctor was very good. He explained everything to me, the procedure that was going to be done. He also just made sure I was comfortable. My procedure went very well. The overall experience of this practice was fantastic. It was very important to me to have a healthy smile. I would highly recommend this practice to anybody."
"Hi, I'm Lianna from Lambertville, and I came to West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial & Dental Implant Surgery for an extraction, bone graft, and dental implant. The staff is extremely friendly and comforting and made me feel at ease. My doctor was extremely careful and caring. He was very gentle and made sure that I was feeling comfortable. My procedures went very well, and recovery was very smooth. My overall experience with this practice was extremely positive. I would absolutely recommend West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial & Dental Implant Surgery. I felt very welcomed and comfortable going into the multiple surgeries that I was going to have."
"Hi. I am Luke from Phillipsburg, and I came to West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery for an extraction. The doctors here were great. They made me feel comfortable. They were easy to talk to, they're real friendly. My procedure went great. It was quick. It was easy, and the recovery was simple. My overall experience here was fantastic. To all my friends and family in Somerset County, Flemington and Somerville. I highly recommend West Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial, & Dental Implant Surgery."
Schedule Your Consultation
If you are interested in dental implants but have been told you have insufficient bone in your upper jaw, we invite you to schedule a consultation with our surgical team. Contact our Princeton or Flemington office today to learn more about how a sinus lift can make a new smile possible.