Recent Trends in Sinus Lift Surgery and Their Clinical Implications

Sinus lift procedures are used to allow residual bone to accommodate functional implants in atrophic posterior maxilla. Numerous anatomical and surgical advancements in sinus lift surgery are still inspiring clinicians.

The purpose of this study was to describe the recent trends in sinus lift surgery focusing on implant survival, bone grafting, anatomical and surgical considerations, and their clinical implications on the practice of implant dentistry in atrophic posterior maxilla.

We performed an extensive search in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Trip, Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. Articles were critically reviewed to determine the level of evidence as per the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care.

Comprehensive assessment of sinus septa, sinus pathology, and bone quality and quantity using three-dimensional cone beam computed tomography radiographs is important before placing implants in posterior maxilla. With a residual bone height of less than 5 mm, the survival rate of implant decreases substantially. Lateral window approach can increase the vertical bone height to greater than 9 mm, while osteotome approach can increase this height from 3 to 9 mm. The perforation of Schneiderian membrane doubles the risk for the incidence of sinusitis or infection. The use of piezoelectric surgery allows adequate sinus lift while protecting soft tissues and minimizing patient discomfort.

Although both osteotome and lateral window procedures can help clinicians in overcoming the challenges of placing implants in atrophic posterior maxilla, pre-implant residual bone height is crucial in determining the survival of these implants. Future research directions should consider study designs grounded on longitudinal randomized controlled trials of large sample size.