Bone for upper back implants
Sinus Lift for Dental Implants in Turkey
A sinus lift adds bone under your sinus, so an implant can hold firm in your upper back jaw. It helps when the bone above your back teeth is too short. However, it is one option among several, not a step everyone needs, so your dentist confirms the plan only after an in-person examination and a CBCT scan.
Sinus lift at a glance
- What it does
- Lifts the sinus lining and adds bone beneath it
- Two approaches
- A side window, or gently from below
- Surgery
- Usually local anaesthetic, 45 minutes to 2 hours
- Implants
- Same day if some bone remains, otherwise later
- Time to final teeth
- Often 6 to 12 months, sometimes longer
- Trips to Istanbul
- Often two or more, several months apart
Typical ranges from UK patient information. Your own plan is confirmed only after an in-person examination and CBCT imaging.
How a sinus lift works
Your upper back teeth sit just below a hollow space in your cheekbone, called the maxillary sinus. After you lose a back tooth, the bone ridge can shrink and the sinus floor can drop. In one study, it dropped most after an upper second molar came out.
As a result, there may be too little bone height for an implant. During a sinus lift, your surgeon gently raises the thin lining of the sinus. Then they fill the new space with bone or a bone substitute, so the implant has more bone to grip.
- 1
The sinus lining
A thin membrane lines the sinus. Your surgeon lifts it up without tearing it, if possible.
- 2
The new bone
Bone or a bone substitute fills the space under the lining. Over the following months, it becomes firm enough to hold an implant.
- 3
The implant
Your implant goes in on the same day when some bone remains. Otherwise, it goes in later, once the new bone has healed.
Who may need a sinus lift
Only an examination and a 3D scan can show whether you need one, so treat these points as a guide.
A sinus lift may be considered if
Another plan may be safer if
Sinus lift methods compared with short implants
In trials, no sinus lift method reduced implant failure compared with another. Also, short implants gave similar survival in long-term trials. So your bone, sinus shape and bite decide.
Your sinus lift journey
A common pathway uses two trips to Istanbul. However, a staged sinus lift can add a trip and several months.
- 1Online
Remote review
Photos, an X-ray or a CBCT scan let a dentist prepare a provisional plan.
- 2Trip 1
Examination and CBCT
In person, your dentist checks the bone height and the shape of your sinus. Then they confirm or change the plan.
- 3Trip 1
Sinus lift surgery
Under local anaesthetic, the surgery often takes 45 minutes to 2 hours. If enough bone remains, the implant goes in too.
- 4Trip 1
First week of healing
Swelling usually peaks after two days. Meanwhile, you avoid blowing your nose, and stitches often come out after a week.
- 5At home
Months of healing
Meanwhile, the new bone matures over several months. A staged case then needs a visit to place the implant.
- 6Trip 2
Final teeth
Finally, your dentist takes new scans and fits your crown or bridge. This often comes 6 to 12 months after the sinus lift.
Recovery after a sinus lift
The first two weeks
Don't blow your nose for two weeks, because pressure can move the graft. Instead, take the antibiotics and decongestants your surgeon prescribes.
Swelling and bruising
Swelling usually peaks after two days, and bruising can spread across your cheek. Call your surgeon if swelling gets worse after that, or if bleeding doesn't stop.
Flying home
Ask your surgeon when you can fly before you book a flight. The UK leaflet we rely on sets no flying rule, so the clinic confirms this for you.
Risks of a sinus lift
Reviews report that implants placed with a sinus lift often do well. Even so, a sinus lift adds surgery. In fact, a Cochrane review found more complications at treated sites than with short implants.
In addition, rates vary widely between studies. So ask your surgeon which risks apply to your sinus, and how they would handle each one.
This is the most common problem during surgery. A 2016 review found tears in about 1 in 4 lifts, more often with thin linings or bony walls inside the sinus. Even so, repaired tears did not lower implant survival in reviews.
Sinus inflammation and infection can follow surgery. In one review, the side window approach led to more sinusitis than the approach from below. The NHS leaflet quotes infection in 2.9% and 0.8% of cases.
Sometimes the new bone does not form, or the wound opens and the graft shows. The NHS leaflet quotes no graft after healing in 1.9% of side window lifts.
Your cheek and upper gums may feel numb after surgery. This is usually temporary but, very rarely, permanent. Similarly, bleeding can include a nosebleed.
Some studies reported a brief, positional dizziness after a transcrestal lift. Tell your dentist if the room seems to spin when you move your head.
Smoking roughly doubles the risk of early implant failure, and the effect is stronger in the upper jaw. For this reason, stopping before surgery matters.
What your sinus lift plan should answer
Ask any clinic, including us, for clear written answers before you book.
- 1How much bone height do I have, and what does the CBCT show?
- 2Could a short or tilted implant avoid a sinus lift for me?
- 3Will you use a side window or the approach from below, and why?
- 4Will my implant go in on the same day or later?
- 5What graft material will you use?
- 6What happens if the sinus lining tears?
- 7When can I safely fly home, and who removes my stitches?
- 8How many trips will I need, and how far apart?
Sinus lift: your questions
The surgery usually takes place under local anaesthetic, so you shouldn't feel sharp pain. Afterwards, pain and swelling are common for a few days, and swelling tends to peak after two days.
Often, yes, if some bone remains under the sinus. If there is very little bone, your surgeon places the implant later, once the new bone has healed.
Ask your surgeon before you book. The UK patient leaflet we use gives no flying rule, but it does advise no nose blowing for two weeks. Your clinic should confirm your flight date in writing.
Your surgeon can usually repair it during the surgery. In a 2024 review, implant survival was 97.1% with a repaired tear and 97.7% without one.
In selected cases, yes. Trials with five or more years of follow-up found similar implant survival, with fewer biological problems around short implants. However, the evidence is limited, so your bite and bone decide.
Related guides
Medical review required before publication · General information only; it does not replace an examination, diagnosis or personalised treatment plan.
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Sinus lift procedures, patient information, version 3 (2024)
- Esposito M et al. Interventions for replacing missing teeth: augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus. Cochrane review (2014)
- Pjetursson BE et al. Success of sinus floor elevation and survival of implants inserted with sinus floor elevation: a systematic review (2008)
- Tan WC et al. Sinus floor elevation and implant survival, part II: transalveolar technique, a systematic review (2008)
- Hsu YT et al. Complications of sinus floor elevation procedure and management strategies: a systematic review (2022)
- Al-Dajani M. Incidence, risk factors, and complications of Schneiderian membrane perforation in sinus lift surgery: a meta-analysis (2016)
- Schiavo-Di Flaviano V et al. Influence of Schneiderian membrane perforation on implant survival rate: systematic review and meta-analysis (2024)
- Mester A et al. Short implants versus standard implants and sinus floor elevation in atrophic posterior maxilla: meta-analysis of RCTs with 5+ years follow-up (2023)
- Vetromilla BM et al. Short versus standard implants associated with sinus floor elevation: an umbrella review (2021)
- Lim HC et al. Factors affecting maxillary sinus pneumatization following posterior maxillary tooth extraction (2021)
- Testori T et al. Indications for implant-supported rehabilitation of the posterior atrophic maxilla: a Delphi expert consensus (2024)
- Gaonkar SH et al. Survival rates of axial and tilted implants using the All-on-four concept: a systematic review (2021)
- Fan YY et al. Smoking in relation to early dental implant failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2024)
Do you need
a sinus lift?
Send a recent CBCT scan or X-ray and a few photos. A dentist will then explain whether a sinus lift, a short implant or another option looks suitable. Your plan stays provisional until you're examined in person.