Osteotome maxillary sinus lift using bovine bone and calcium sulfate: a case series

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to evaluate the success of bovine bone and calcium sulfate (CaSO(4)) as sinus augmentation material with osteotome maxillary sinus lift.

Thirty-one osteotome sinus lift procedures were performed for 18 healthy patients (7 males and 11 females). A mixture of bovine bone and CaSO(4) (ratio, 4:1) was used as sinus augmentation material with simultaneous implant placement. Implants were loaded 4 to 5 months postimplant surgery. Cases were followed for an average of 23.4 months postloading (range, 12-60 months).

The mean age of the study group was 49.7 ± 10.66 years. The residual height of the alveolar ridge ranged from 5.5 to 11 mm (mean, 8.16 ± 1.52 mm). Four to 5 months after implant placement, the x-ray showed a 1.5 to 5 mm apical shift of the sinus floor (mean, 3.47 ± 0.97 mm), which was maintained to the end of the evaluation period. At 12 months postloading, crestal bone loss ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 mm (mean, 0.87 ± 0.26 mm), and pocket depth ranged from 2 to 4 mm (mean, 2.9 ± 0.67 mm). No significant change in crestal bone loss or pocket depth was noticed afterward.

Bovine bone plus CaSO(4) can be used successfully as a sinus augmentation material with osteotome sinus elevation. The use of CaSO(4) significantly improved the handling properties of bovine bone and helped to stabilize the bone graft particles during healing.