A meta-analysis of complications during sinus augmentation procedure

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Dental Implantology
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Sinus floor augmentation is crucial for dental implant placement in the posterior maxilla.
• Conventional lateral window technique is widely used but associated with potential complications.
• Alternative techniques aim to improve safety and efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the incidence of complications associated with conventional versus alternative sinus floor augmentation techniques.
• To compare intraoperative and postoperative complication rates between different surgical approaches.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across electronic databases following PRISMA guidelines.
• Eleven studies (5 RCTs, 6 retrospective) comparing conventional lateral window with osteotome, piezosurgery, sonic surgery, or trephine techniques were included.
• Meta-analysis was performed to assess complication incidence.

Main Results:

• Retrospective studies indicated a lower incidence of intraoperative complications with alternative techniques.
• However, meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials alone did not reveal statistically significant differences in intraoperative or postoperative complications.
• No technique demonstrated a clear superiority in reducing overall complications.

Conclusions:

• Alternative techniques like piezosurgery, sonic surgery, osteotome, and trephine do not consistently offer reduced complication rates compared to the conventional lateral window sinus floor augmentation.
• Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to definitively establish the comparative safety of these techniques.