Sinus lift in Turkey

What is a sinus lift?

The maxillary sinuses are air-filled spaces in the cheekbones, sitting just above the roots of the upper back teeth. They are lined with a thin membrane, sometimes called the Schneiderian membrane. When an upper back tooth is lost, two things often happen: the bone in the jaw shrinks from below, and the sinus slowly expands downward into the space the roots used to occupy. After some years, only a few millimetres of bone may remain between the mouth and the sinus.

An implant placed into that thin layer would have little to hold it and could enter the sinus. A sinus lift solves this by lifting the membrane gently upwards, without tearing it, and filling the space created beneath it with bone graft material. Over the following months the graft turns into firm bone that can support an implant.

The procedure stays inside the mouth and is carried out under local anaesthetic. Nothing is done through the nose or face.

When do you need a sinus lift in Turkey?

You need a sinus lift only when imaging shows that the bone below the sinus is too short for an implant of a suitable length. It is never decided from a photo or from the number of missing teeth.

It is more likely when:

• upper molars or premolars have been missing for a long time;
• teeth were lost to gum disease, which also destroys bone;
• the sinus naturally sits low or is large;
• a previous extraction in that area was difficult or left a defect.

A 3D scan (CBCT) is usually needed, because a standard panoramic X-ray cannot measure bone height accurately in every direction. The scan also shows the shape of the sinus and any thickening of its lining. If the sinus shows signs of active infection or chronic sinusitis, it may need to be assessed and treated by an ear, nose and throat doctor before surgery.

Sometimes there is an alternative: a shorter implant, a tilted implant as used in All-on-4, or a bridge that avoids the area. Your dentist explains whether any of these suits you.

A sinus lift, step by step

1. Before you travel: X-rays: Send a panoramic X-ray or a 3D scan on WhatsApp. A dentist replies with a preliminary plan and whether a sinus lift looks likely.
2. Examination and 3D scan: Bone height and the sinus are measured, your medical and sinus history are reviewed, and the approach is chosen. Written plan and cost.
3. The procedure: Under local anaesthetic, the sinus membrane is lifted through the implant site or a small side window and graft material placed.
4. Implant, now or later: If enough bone holds it steady, the implant is placed at the same visit; otherwise it is placed after the graft has matured.
5. Check-up before flying: Healing is checked and the dentist advises when you can fly and which precautions to follow.
6. Healing and final teeth: After several months, the implant is checked and the final crown or bridge is made on a later trip.

Crestal (internal) sinus lift

The crestal approach works from the crest of the ridge, through the same hole that will hold the implant. The dentist prepares the implant site to just below the sinus floor, then uses special instruments to tap or press the remaining thin bone upwards, lifting the membrane a few millimetres. Graft material may be added, and the implant is usually placed in the same visit.

Because it is done through a small opening, the crestal approach generally means less swelling and a quicker recovery. Its limit is the amount of lift it can achieve: it suits cases where some bone height remains and only a modest gain is needed. It is sometimes called an internal or osteotome sinus lift.

Lateral (window) sinus lift

The lateral approach is used when much more height is needed. The dentist makes a small opening in the gum on the cheek side of the upper jaw and creates a small window in the thin bone wall of the sinus. Through this window the membrane is carefully lifted, and the space beneath it is filled with graft material. A membrane is placed over the window and the gum is stitched closed.

If enough bone remains to hold an implant steady, it can sometimes be placed at the same time. If not, the graft is left to mature first and the implant is placed several months later. Recovery takes longer than with the crestal approach: swelling, bruising on the cheek and a slightly blocked feeling on that side are common in the first week.

Sinus lift healing time before implants

A sinus graft needs time to change into bone that can support chewing forces. The times below are general ranges; your dentist adjusts them to the size of the graft, the material used and your healing.

• Crestal lift with an implant placed at the same time: the implant usually heals for around four to six months before the final tooth is made.
• Lateral lift with an implant placed at the same time: often around six to nine months before the final tooth.
• Lateral lift with the implant placed later: the graft usually matures for around six to nine months, then the implant needs a further few months of healing.

This is why a sinus lift can change your travel plan. A staged lateral lift may mean three trips rather than two: one for the lift, one for the implant and one for the final teeth. The preliminary plan you receive after sending X-rays will say whether a sinus lift looks likely, so you know before you book. For the overall implant journey, see dental implants in Turkey.

Flying after a sinus lift

Changes in cabin pressure affect the air in your sinuses, so flying after a sinus lift needs more care than flying after a routine implant. Please ask your dentist when it is safe for you to fly; the answer depends on the approach used, the size of the graft and whether the membrane was intact.

As general precautions, patients are usually advised to avoid flying for the first several days after a sinus lift, and some surgeons prefer a longer wait after a lateral lift. During the first weeks:

• do not blow your nose; dab it instead;
• if you need to sneeze, do it with your mouth open to reduce pressure;
• avoid drinking through a straw, smoking and heavy exercise;
• avoid diving and other activities with large pressure changes;
• take any medicines exactly as prescribed, which may include a decongestant.

We plan the procedure early in your stay so there is time for a check-up before you travel. More on this is in our article on flying after dental treatment.

Risks, and who should take extra care

The most common complication is a small tear in the sinus membrane during the lift. Small tears are often repaired during the same procedure with a membrane; larger ones may mean the graft is postponed until the lining heals. Other possible problems include swelling, nosebleeds in the first days, infection of the graft, sinusitis, and a graft that does not form enough bone, which may need repeating.

Extra care, and sometimes a different plan, is needed for:

• smokers, whose grafts heal less predictably;
• people with chronic sinusitis, allergies affecting the sinuses or previous sinus surgery;
• poorly controlled diabetes;
• people taking, or who have taken, bone medicines such as bisphosphonates.

Sinus lifts at our clinic are carried out by dentists who work in oral surgery and implants, Dt. Yusuf Yuca, PhD and Dt. Cemal Özdemir. Wider surgical care is described on oral surgery in Istanbul.

Sinus lift cost in Turkey

We do not publish a separate price for a sinus lift, because the work varies a great deal: crestal or lateral, one side or both, the amount and type of graft material, and whether the implant goes in at the same visit. The cost is set in your written treatment plan after an examination and a 3D scan, alongside the implants and crowns. Send your X-rays on WhatsApp and a dentist will reply with a preliminary plan, including whether a sinus lift looks necessary and the expected number of days.

Frequently asked questions

This page gives general information and is not a substitute for an examination. Whether a treatment is suitable for you, and how long it takes, is decided after your dentist has examined you and reviewed your X-rays.