If you have been missing teeth in your upper jaw for some time, you may have been told you are not suitable for dental implants because you don’t have enough bone volume. The good news is that this may not be the full story. In many cases it is possible to have dental implants in your top jaw even if you have experienced bone loss – you will just need a procedure called a sinus lift first.
Bone loss is a common side effect of losing teeth, because over time the bone beneath any gaps starts to resorb. In the upper jaw, it is common for the maxillary sinus spaces – above the upper jaw – to increase in size, reducing the height and density of the bone and making it hard to place dental implants. A sinus lift helps to build this bone up again, increasing the chances of a successful dental implant procedure.
Dr Madruga is highly experienced in performing sinus lifts, helping patients to get their confidence back in their smile. He accepts referrals from other dentists whose patients would benefit from this procedure, so if your dentist has told you you are not suitable for dental implants in your top jaw because of lack of bone volume, please ask to be referred to Dr Madruga for a consultation.
What is a sinus lift?
A sinus lift is an oral surgical procedure that extends into the sinus cavity above the jaw. It involves repositioning the lining of the sinus, making it higher so that bone graft material can then be packed into the space.
The graft material may be made from organic or synthetic compounds, or in some cases will use bone from another part of your body (most commonly the chin or the posterior part of the lower jaw). This material bonds with the surrounding tissue, forming a solid structure very similar to bone. After a healing period, the bone density will be checked and when it has reached adequate levels, your dental implants can be placed.
Your own dentist may have told you that they cannot place dental implants because you lack bone density. Bone loss is a very common side-effect of losing your teeth, which happens because without the tooth roots in place the jaw bone is likely to start to resorb (shrink back). Whilst this can make implant surgery more complex, by no means is it impossible.
Our entire team is committed to treating 
If you have one or more missing teeth near the front of your mouth, you are likely to find your confidence affected, and you may be too shy to smile or laugh in public. There are other health implications that come with losing your natural teeth, however; remaining teeth often become misaligned as they shift into any gaps, making them harder to clean and increasing your chances of tooth decay, gum disease and, ultimately, losing more teeth.
Missing teeth should always be replaced, as soon after tooth loss as possible. This is because not only does having gaps in your mouth affect your self-confidence, it can also have a negative impact on your diet and your ability to eat healthy foods, potentially impacting on your general health.
You should always replace missing teeth because to do otherwise risks your dental and general health. Remaining teeth have a tendency to move into any gaps, becoming crooked in the process. This makes them more difficult to keep clean, increasing the chances of oral health problems such as gum disease.
Our teeth are made up of two parts – crowns and roots. Traditional dentures and bridges replace only the crown portion of a tooth, but 
Teeth can be lost for a variety of reasons. Health problems such as tooth decay and gum disease are a common cause of tooth loss, while as the population ages many people are finding that they lose teeth as they get older. Accidents and injuries can also cause teeth to be knocked out, and while it is sometimes possible for your dentist to reimplant teeth lost this way in the socket, sometimes a tooth replacement is required.
Dental implant surgery can be relatively quick depending on the number of implants required and, contrary to popular belief, most people who undergo dental implant surgery feel no pain at all. Modern day dentistry is no longer about large needles and painful drilling. Instead carefully monitored and controlled sedation techniques keep the patient in a relaxed and care-free state, while most patients who undergo conscious sedation have no recollection of the surgery a all.
According to the study, people who had experienced tooth loss were reluctant to leave their home, and tended to be disappointed in themselves for requiring dentures. In the UK, more than two million people have lost all their teeth in either their upper or lower jaw, and even though this study implies this loss can be just as damaging as having a long-term health condition, it is often not taken very seriously.