Why the Sinus Gets in the Way.
The maxillary sinuses are air-filled spaces directly above your upper back teeth. When upper teeth are lost, two things happen simultaneously: bone resorbs downward from the ridge, and the sinus floor can expand downward to fill the space. The net result is a very thin band of bone between the sinus floor and the top of the jaw — often insufficient to house an implant without perforating the sinus.
A sinus lift (also called sinus augmentation) involves gently lifting the sinus membrane and packing bone graft material into the newly created space beneath it. As this heals over 4–6 months, the graft consolidates into living bone — creating the vertical height needed to safely place implants in the posterior upper jaw.
- Addresses insufficient bone height in the upper posterior jaw
- Sinus membrane is preserved — no sinus damage
- New bone forms within 4–6 months of healing
Lateral vs. Internal Sinus Lift — What's the Difference?
Lateral (open) sinus lift involves creating a small window in the cheek-side of the upper jaw to access and lift the sinus membrane directly. This approach allows placement of larger volumes of graft material and is used when significant vertical height is needed — typically 5mm or more. It is performed as a separate procedure before implant placement.
Crestal (internal) sinus lift is performed through the same opening that will be used for the implant, using specialized instruments to gently push the sinus membrane upward. It’s suitable when only 1–4mm of additional height is needed and can often be combined with implant placement in the same appointment.
- Internal approach: simultaneous with implant in mild cases
- Lateral approach: more bone, separate procedure
- We determine the right approach with 3D imaging
Don't Let a Low Sinus Rule Out Your Implants.
Book a free consultation and we’ll take a 3D CT scan of your upper jaw, measure your available bone height, and tell you exactly whether a sinus lift is needed and what the complete treatment timeline looks like.