Sinus Augmentation Huntington Beach

Prepare Your Upper Jaw for Dental Implants

Before you get dental implants, Dr. Braga and our Huntington Beach team will need to verify that your mouth is a good environment for your new teeth. If we discover that the back portion of your upper jawbone is not thick enough to accommodate the implant posts, we might recommend that you undergo a special preparatory procedure known as sinus augmentation. What exactly is this regenerative procedure, and what role might it play in your dental implant journey? Continue reading below to find out.

What Is Sinus Augmentation?

Illustration of dental implants in jawbone after sinus augmentation

Sinus augmentation is a special type of bone graft that is often referred to as a sinus lift. During this procedure, we lift the sinus membrane and place a bone graft beneath it. This thickens the upper jaw, which means that when dental implants are placed, they should not penetrate the sinus membrane. This procedure can prevent painful complications and open the way for you to have a successful tooth replacement journey.

The material that we use for the graft may be natural bone or synthetic. Regardless of its source, we will make sure it is of high quality so your procedure has the best possible chance of success.

Indications for Sinus Augmentation

Patient and dental team member looking at tablet during consultation

Not everyone requires sinus augmentation before getting dental implants in the upper back portion of the jaw. The only way to know for sure if you need this procedure is to attend a consultation with us. We will use advanced imaging equipment, such as our CBCT machine, to capture highly detailed scans of your oral structures. Then, Dr. Braga can start to plan the specifics of your dental implant journey.

You may need sinus augmentation if your upper jaw is not thick enough to support dental implants. This could be the case if:

You lost your natural teeth some time ago, and your jawbone has weakened due to a lack of stimulation from your tooth roots.
Your jawbone is naturally thin or weak.
Your upper jaw has defects due to a past injury or other factors.

The Sinus Augmentation Process

Dental team carefully working during sinus lift surgery

Many patients are surprised by how easy the sinus augmentation process is! We start out by making you comfortable. We will administer local anesthesia and, if necessary, we can also provide sedation to help you stay relaxed.

Once you are settled in, we will carefully access your sinus membrane through your upper jaw and move it into its new position. Once the bone graft is in place, we will close up your gum tissue with sutures. The procedure may take anywhere from 45 minutes to a few hours.

The soft tissues at the surgical site should heal fairly quickly, but it will take a few months for the grafted material to form a strong bond with your jawbone. Once that has occurred, you may be eligible to receive dental implants.

Do you believe you need sinus augmentation, or would you like to learn more about the dental implant process? Contact our office today to ask questions or request a consultation with our team.