Sinus bone formation and implant survival after sinus membrane elevation and implant placement: a 1‐ to 6‐year follow‐up study

Abstract

Maxillary sinus membrane elevation and simultaneous placement of implants without the use of bone grafts or bone substitutes result in predictable bone formation with a high implant survival rate of 98.7% during a follow-up period of up to 6 years. The intra-sinus bone formation remained stable in the long-term follow-up. It is suggested that the secluded compartment allowed for bone formation according to the principle of guided tissue regeneration. The high implant survival rate of 98.7% indicated that the implants sufficiently supported the fixed bridges throughout the study period. This technique reduces the risks for morbidity related to harvesting of bone grafts and eliminates the costs of grafting materials.