2003 Volume 16 Issue 4 Pages 521-529
Socket lift is a useful method for patients who have a limited amount of bone volume in the edentulous posterior maxilla. Depending on the traditional views, using this technique we need 4 to 5 mm of bone volume beneath the sinus and the sinus floor can be elevated by several millimeters at most. We therefore investigated the modified socket lift method that is equal to the effect of sinus lift. The method requires an implant which has a neck shape in order to achieve an initial fixation of less than 4 mm bone volume beneath the sinus, to make use of the anatomical shape of the sinus floor and to elevate the sinus membrane with curettes.
Thirteen implants in 8 patients were placed using this method. Of these patients, 6 were women and 2 were men. Patient age ranged from 43 to 61 years. The mean age was 53 years 4 months at the time of surgery. The mean remaining bone height between sinus floor and alveolar ridge was 3.2±1.0 mm (range 2 to 5 mm). The mean distance of elevation was 10.8±1.7mm (range 8 to 13 mm). All abutments were connected to the fixtures at 30 Ncm, 4 to 5 months postoperatively and had temporization or restoration accomplished. In some cases after restoration we could confirm with radiographic evaluation that the cortical bone lining beneath the sinus membrane existed above the implants.