Maxillary sinus grafting : materials, success and complications

Sinus grafting procedures have become nowadays common practice in implant dentistry when insufficient bone is inadequate to host implants of adequate dimensions. Survival rates of implants placed in grafted sinuses are apparently similar to those obtained in case of implants placed in native, non reconstructed bone. However, the analysis of international literature demonstrated that often the data reported are poor and drawbacks or complications are frequently ignored or not properly aknowledged. Aim of this lecture is to provide an updated overview on sinus grafting procedures, with particular attention to indications, contraindications and complications. In particular, well defined surgical protocols according to type of initial atrophy (sinus expansion or alveolar ridge resoprtion or both), as well as multidisciplinary treatment protocols including the ENT surgeons’ contribution for the solution of sinus grafting complications, will be presented