Why bone is lost
Bone in the jaw is kept healthy by the tooth roots inside it. Once a tooth is lost, the bone around the gap slowly shrinks, most quickly in the first year. Gum disease, an old infection or a difficult extraction can also leave less bone. In the upper back jaw, the sinus can drop into the space as well, leaving only a few millimetres of bone.
That’s why the 3D scan comes first. It shows exactly how much bone there is, where the sinus and nerves sit, and whether a graft is needed at all.
Types of bone grafting
| Procedure | When it’s used | Healing before the implant |
|---|---|---|
| Socket preservation | Straight after an extraction, to keep the bone from shrinking | About 3–4 months |
| Ridge augmentation | The jaw has become too thin or too low for an implant | About 4–6 months |
| Crestal (internal) sinus lift | Upper back jaw with a moderate amount of bone | Implant often placed at the same visit |
| Lateral window sinus lift | Upper back jaw with very little bone below the sinus | About 6–9 months |
Graft material can be your own bone, or a prepared bone substitute that the body gradually replaces with its own bone. The implantologist explains which they recommend for your case and why.
What happens
- Consultation and scan. Dr. Adish and our implantologist examine your mouth and review the CBCT scan, then plan the implant and the graft together. You get a written plan and the fee.
- The procedure. Under local anaesthetic, the implantologist opens the gum, places the graft and covers it with a protective membrane where needed. For a crestal sinus lift, the sinus floor is raised gently through the implant site and the implant is placed in the same visit. The gum is stitched closed.
- Healing. Stitches come out at one to two weeks. We check healing during the months the graft is maturing.
- The implant and the tooth. Once the bone is ready, the implant is placed (if it wasn’t already), and Dr. Adish fits the final crown or bridge after the implant has bonded to the bone.
Recovery and aftercare
- Eat soft food for a few days and chew on the other side.
- Use cold packs on the cheek for the first day to keep swelling down.
- After a sinus lift, don’t blow your nose for about two weeks, sneeze with your mouth open, and avoid straws.
- Take the medicines you’re prescribed for the full course.
- Avoid smoking: it is one of the main reasons grafts don’t heal well.
- Come to every review, so we can check the graft is maturing as planned.
Call us if you have bleeding that doesn’t stop with pressure, swelling that keeps increasing after day three, a fever, or a feeling that graft granules are coming out of your nose.
Risks
Swelling, bruising and mild discomfort are expected. With a sinus lift, the sinus lining can tear during the procedure; small tears are usually repaired at the time. Less commonly, a sinus infection develops or the graft doesn’t take fully and needs repeating. Careful scan-based planning keeps these risks low, and the implantologist goes through your personal risks before you decide.
What affects the fee
The type and size of the graft, the graft material and membrane used, whether the implant is placed in the same visit, and the number of sites. Grafting is listed as its own item on your written implant estimate. See dental implant cost.
Questions patients ask us
What is a sinus lift?
The maxillary sinus is an air space above the upper back teeth. When those teeth are lost, the bone below the sinus thins and the sinus can drop. A sinus lift gently raises the sinus lining and places bone graft material underneath, so there is enough height to hold an implant.
Is a sinus lift the same as a bone graft?
A sinus lift is one kind of bone graft, used only in the upper back jaw, where the graft is placed under the sinus lining. Other bone grafts rebuild the width or height of the jaw anywhere in the mouth, or fill a socket straight after an extraction.
Is a sinus lift painful?
The area is numbed, so you feel pressure rather than pain. Afterwards there is usually mild swelling and soreness for a few days, sometimes a little bruising or a slight nosebleed, managed with painkillers and the medicines you're given.
Can a sinus lift and implant be done at the same time?
Often, yes. If there is a moderate amount of bone, the implantologist can lift the sinus through the implant site and place the implant in the same visit (crestal technique). If the bone is very thin, the graft goes in first and the implant follows once it has matured.
How long after a sinus lift can I get an implant?
With the crestal technique the implant usually goes in at the same visit. After a lateral window sinus lift, the graft needs about six to nine months to turn into firm bone before the implant is placed.
Can I get an implant without a bone graft?
Many people can. The 3D scan shows whether there is enough bone. Where there isn't, the alternatives are a graft, a shorter or angled implant, or for a full arch, an All-on-4 design that avoids the sinus. The implantologist and Dr. Adish will go through which options suit your scan.
Can I fly or exercise after a sinus lift?
Avoid strenuous exercise for the first few days and ask us before flying in the first two weeks, because pressure changes can affect the healing sinus lining. Don't blow your nose for about two weeks, and sneeze with your mouth open.
Sources
ADA MouthHealthy: dental implants ↗Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS: dental implants patient information ↗Last updated 14 October 2026. This page explains options in general terms; your own plan comes from an examination.