Sinus floor elevation with a crestal approach using a press-fit bone block: a case series

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Dental Implantology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Sinus augmentation is crucial for dental implant placement in the posterior maxilla.
• Traditional sinus lift procedures with lateral windows can be invasive and time-consuming.
• Alternative, less invasive techniques are needed to improve patient outcomes and reduce treatment complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical efficacy of transcrestal sinus floor elevation using a bone block with the press-fit technique.
• To provide detailed clinical data on this novel sinus augmentation method.
• To compare this technique with conventional sinus lift procedures.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 33 patients undergoing transcrestal sinus floor elevation.
• Harvesting of cylindrical bone blocks using a trephine burr.
• Insertion of bone blocks via a crestal approach with a press-fit technique.
• Placement of implants supported by augmented bone blocks.

Main Results:

• Successful bone augmentation achieved in 70 treated sites (mean augmentation: 6.08±2.87 mm).
• Only one graft failure occurred before implant placement.
• No intraoperative or postoperative complications, infections, or inflammations were recorded.
• One implant was lost during the observation period.

Conclusions:

• Transcrestal sinus floor elevation with a bone block is a safe and effective alternative to lateral window sinus lifts.
• This technique offers reduced surgical duration, lower treatment costs, and decreased patient discomfort.
• The press-fit technique for bone block insertion shows potential for predictable sinus augmentation in dental implantology.