Low Window Sinus Elevation Technique: Bone Gain and Postsurgical Discomfort. A Retrospective Case Series

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Dental Implantology
• Regenerative Dentistry

Background:

• Sinus augmentation is crucial for dental implant placement in the posterior maxilla.
• Minimizing post-surgical discomfort is a key goal in sinus lift procedures.
• The Low Window technique offers a potentially less invasive approach to sinus elevation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate post-surgical discomfort associated with the Low Window sinus augmentation technique.
• To assess the bone gain achieved using this method.
• To investigate the correlation between osteotomy area and patient discomfort or bone gain.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 26 patients (34 interventions) undergoing Low Window sinus elevation.
• Assessment of medial, middle, and lateral bone gain at ≥ 9 months post-augmentation.
• Evaluation of post-surgical pain, swelling, and hematoma using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) up to 7 days.
• Analysis of implant success, survival rates, and complications.

Main Results:

• Significant bone gains achieved: medial 10.1mm, middle 11.6mm, lateral 10.7mm.
• Low VAS pain scores (12.3/100) at 5-6 hours post-surgery, decreasing rapidly.
• Minimal and transient swelling (max 29.4% at day 1) and hematoma (max 8.8% at day 2).
• High implant success rate (99%) and no intraoperative complications.
• Only osteotomy area correlated with immediate pain, not other outcomes or bone gain.

Conclusions:

• The Low Window sinus elevation technique demonstrates safety, efficacy, and minimal patient discomfort.
• It achieves substantial bone augmentation comparable to other methods.
• The technique supports high implant success rates, warranting further comparative studies.