Lateral approach for sinus floor elevation: large versus small bone window - a split-mouth randomized clinical trial.

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Dental Implantology
• Bone Grafting Procedures

Background:

• Lateral sinus floor elevation is a common procedure to augment bone height for dental implants.
• The dimensions of the surgical access window may influence surgical outcomes and patient comfort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of a reduced bone window versus a wider window in lateral sinus floor elevations.
• To evaluate the impact of window size on augmented bone height, surgical duration, and patient-reported discomfort.

Main Methods:

• A split-mouth randomized study involving 16 subjects undergoing bilateral sinus lifts.
• Test group: small access window (6x6 mm) with specialized bone filling; Control group: large access window (10x8 mm) with manual bone filling.
• Bone dimensions measured via CT scans; surgical duration recorded; patient discomfort assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Main Results:

• Both small and large windows achieved significant bone augmentation in height and width, with no statistically significant difference between groups.
• Surgical intervention duration was comparable between the small (42.62 ± 6.67 min) and large (41.68 ± 8.34 min) window groups.
• Patients reported significantly less discomfort with the smaller window at 7, 14, and 30-day follow-ups.

Conclusions:

• Reducing bone window dimensions in lateral sinus floor elevation does not compromise bone augmentation or surgical safety.
• The smaller window technique is associated with reduced patient discomfort, suggesting a favorable alternative.
• Surgical intervention duration is not significantly affected by the chosen window size.