Bone Grafting & Sinus Lifts
Strengthening Your Jaw for Dental Implants
If you’ve lost teeth or experienced bone loss in your jaw, you may have been told that you don’t have enough bone for dental implants. Fortunately, bone grafting and sinus lifts can restore your jawbone, making implant placement possible and improving overall oral health. These procedures help rebuild lost bone, ensuring a strong, stable foundation for long-term dental restorations.
At Gramercy Dental Group, our expert oral surgeons use advanced bone regeneration techniques to restore your bone structure safely and effectively. Whether you need a minor bone graft or a sinus lift, we offer personalized solutions to help you regain full oral function and confidence in your smile.
Bone Grafting & Sinus Lifts – Strengthening Your Jaw for Dental Implants
If you’ve lost teeth or experienced bone loss in your jaw, you may have been told that you don’t have enough bone for dental implants. Fortunately, these treatments can restore your jawbone, making implant placement possible and improving overall oral health. They help rebuild lost bone, ensuring a strong, stable foundation for long-term dental restorations.
At Gramercy Dental Group, our expert oral surgeons use advanced bone regeneration techniques to restore your bone structure safely and effectively. Whether your case is minor or more complex, we offer personalized solutions to help you regain full oral function and confidence in your smile.
What Is Bone Grafting?
It is a procedure used to replace lost bone in the jaw, strengthening areas that have deteriorated due to tooth loss, gum disease, trauma, or aging. When a tooth is missing for an extended period, the surrounding bone begins to shrink, making it difficult to support an implant. The procedure restores bone volume, allowing for successful implant placement and improved facial structure.
How Does Bone Grafting Work?
During a bone graft procedure, our surgeon places biocompatible bone material in the deficient area. This material can come from:
- Your own bone (autograft) – Often taken from the jaw or another part of the body.
- Donor bone (allograft) – Processed human bone.
- Animal bone (xenograft) – Typically sourced from bovine bone.
- Synthetic bone (alloplast) – Biocompatible material designed to stimulate new bone growth.
Over several months, your body naturally integrates the graft material, creating new, healthy bone. Once healed, your jaw will be strong enough to support dental implants or other restorations.
Who Needs Bone Grafting?
You may need a bone graft if you have:
- Insufficient bone for dental implants
- Bone loss due to periodontal disease
- Jawbone deterioration after tooth loss
- Facial changes caused by bone shrinkage
- A history of trauma or congenital defects affecting the jaw
What Is a Sinus Lift?
A sinus lift (sinus augmentation) is a specialized bone grafting procedure used when there isn’t enough bone in the upper jaw (maxilla) for dental implants. The upper jaw is naturally thinner than the lower jaw, and when teeth are missing in the back of the mouth, the sinus cavity can expand, reducing available bone height.
How Does a Sinus Lift Work?
During a sinus lift, our surgeon gently lifts the sinus membrane and places bone graft material underneath, increasing the thickness of the upper jaw. Over time, the graft integrates with your natural bone, creating a strong, implant-ready foundation.
Who Needs a Sinus Lift?
You may need a sinus lift if you:
- Have lost upper molars or premolars and lack enough bone for implants
- Have naturally thin bone in the sinus region
- Have experienced sinus cavity expansion after tooth loss
- Have had a previous failed implant due to poor bone support
Benefits of Bone Grafting & Sinus Lifts
Bone grafting and sinus lifts rebuild your jawbone so it can support dental implants and other restorations. They help stop further bone loss, give implants a stable foundation, restore chewing, speaking, and smiling, lower the chance of complications, and help restorations last. Here are the key benefits of these procedures and how they support your long-term oral health.
Stronger, Healthier Jawbone
Prevents further bone loss and preserves facial structure. When a tooth is missing for a long time, the surrounding bone begins to shrink. Bone grafting rebuilds that bone so your jaw keeps its shape and support.
BONE WIDTH CAN DROP 29% TO 63% IN 6 MONTHS
A review of 20 studies found that the bone around an extracted tooth can shrink fast, especially in the first 3 to 6 months.
“horizontal bone loss of 29-63% and vertical bone loss of 11-22% after 6 months”
Tan WL, Wong TLT, Wong MCM, Lang NP, “A systematic review of post-extractional alveolar hard and soft tissue dimensional changes in humans,” Clinical Oral Implants Research, 2012, University of Hong Kong HKU Scholars Hub
Allows for Successful Dental Implant Placement
Ensures implants have a stable foundation. Grafts and sinus lifts add bone where there is not enough to hold an implant. Over several months, the graft blends with your natural bone and creates an implant-ready base.
48-STUDY REVIEW FINDS HIGH IMPLANT SURVIVAL WITH SINUS LIFTS
A review of 48 studies looked at implants placed together with sinus lifts.
“a predictable treatment method showing high implant survival rates”
Pjetursson BE, Tan WC, Zwahlen M, Lang NP, “A systematic review of the success of sinus floor elevation and survival of implants inserted in combination with sinus floor elevation,” Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 2008, University of Bern BORIS repository
Improves Oral Function and Aesthetics
Restores your ability to eat, speak, and smile with confidence. Once the graft heals, which takes about 3 to 6 months, your jaw is strong enough to support implants or other restorations. Those restorations help you chew, speak, and smile comfortably.
LESS TROUBLE CHEWING AND SPEAKING AFTER A SINUS LIFT
In a German university study of 182 patients, difficulty chewing foods and trouble pronouncing words both scored lower after a sinus lift.
“a significant improvement indicating a remarkable benefit for the patients through this procedure”
Schiegnitz E, Kämmerer PW, Sagheb K, Wendt AJ, Pabst A, Al-Nawas B, Klein MO, “Impact of maxillary sinus augmentation on oral health-related quality of life,” International Journal of Implant Dentistry, 2017, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, via the Directory of Open Access Journals
Prevents Complications
Reduces the risk of implant failure due to insufficient bone support. A 3D cone beam CT scan helps the team assess your bone height and sinus position before treatment. That planning shows whether a graft or sinus lift is needed first.
WITH A SINUS LIFT, 92.8% OF IMPLANTS SURVIVED 3 YEARS
In a review of 19 studies of one common sinus lift method, implants placed in jaws that needed a lift survived about as well as implants placed where no lift was needed.
“This technique is predictable with a low incidence of complications during and post-operatively”
Tan WC, Lang NP, Zwahlen M, Pjetursson BE, “A systematic review of the success of sinus floor elevation and survival of implants inserted in combination with sinus floor elevation. Part II: transalveolar technique,” Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 2008, University of Bern BORIS repository
Long-Term Oral Health Investment
Increases the lifespan of dental restorations. Rebuilding the bone gives implants and other restorations a strong base for the long term. Follow-up visits check that healing is on track and that you are ready for implants.
93.7% TO 97.2% OF IMPLANTS SURVIVED 3 YEARS OR MORE
A review of 25 studies followed implants placed in grafted sinuses for at least 3 years after loading.
“implant survival after a minimum of 3 years loading was 93.7% and 97.2%”
Del Fabbro M, Wallace SS, Testori T, “Long-term implant survival in the grafted maxillary sinus: a systematic review,” International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry, 2013, via PubMed, National Library of Medicine
What to Expect During and After the Procedure
Bone grafting and sinus lifts are typically performed under local anesthesia or IV sedation to ensure your comfort. The procedure is minimally invasive, but recovery does require some healing time.
Recovery Timeline
- Mild swelling and discomfort for the first few days (easily managed with pain medication).
- Avoid blowing your nose or sneezing forcefully after a sinus lift to protect the graft.
- Healing and bone integration take 3-6 months before implants can be placed.
- Follow-up visits ensure proper healing and implant readiness.
Ready to restore your smile?
If you’ve been told you don’t have enough bone for dental implants, we can help! Contact Gramercy Dental Group today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward a stronger, healthier smile.
Ready to restore your smile?
If you’ve been told you don’t have enough bone for dental implants, we can help! Contact Gramercy Dental Group today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward a stronger, healthier smile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bone Grafting Painful?
No! The procedure is performed under local anesthesia or IV sedation, so you won’t feel pain. Mild soreness afterward is normal, but easily managed with medication.
How Long Does It Take to Heal?
Healing varies depending on the size of the graft and your body’s natural bone growth. Most patients fully heal in 3-6 months, after which implants can be placed.
Can I Get a Bone Graft and Implant at the Same Time?
In some cases, yes! If the bone loss is minor, we can place the implant immediately. However, for larger grafts, a separate healing period is needed before implant placement.
How Do I Know if I Need a Sinus Lift?
A 3D cone beam CT scan (CBCT) helps us assess your bone height and sinus position, allowing us to determine if a sinus lift is necessary.
Are Bone Grafts and Sinus Lifts Worth It?
Absolutely! These procedures increase the success rate of dental implants and prevent long-term complications, making them a smart investment in your oral health.