Atraumatic maxillary sinus elevation using threaded bone dilators for immediate implants. A three-year clinical study

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Surgery
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Maxillary posterior bone deficits pose challenges for dental implant placement.
• Sinus floor elevation is a common procedure to augment bone height in the posterior maxilla.
• Minimally invasive techniques are sought to reduce surgical morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of sinus floor elevation using sequential bone dilators.
• To assess bone gain and implant survival rates following this technique.
• To determine the long-term stability of grafted bone.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 30 patients with 5-8 mm bone deficits underwent sinus floor elevation with sequential bone dilators.
• Sixty dental implants were placed in the augmented sites.
• Bone gain and implant success were monitored over 36 months.

Main Results:

• An average intra-sinus bone gain of 4.13 mm was achieved at implant placement.
• The bone gain remained stable over 36 months, with remodeling of 0.51 mm.
• A 96.6% implant success rate was observed after three years, with two early failures.

Conclusions:

• Sequential bone dilators are effective for sinus floor elevation, achieving significant bone gain and high implant survival rates.
• This technique offers a less invasive approach to maxillary augmentation.
• The procedure provides both aesthetic and functional improvements for patients.