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How Painful Is A Sinus Lift?
A sinus lift washington dc is one of the most common procedures performed prior to placement of a dental implant. In order to facilitate bone growth to support a dental implant, the sinus membrane is pushed up and grafting material is placed. After a certain amount of time, this grafting material will facilitate the regeneration of enough bone to properly secure a dental implant. Though not always necessary, a sinus lift if performed on approximately 20% of patients who are having dental implants placed.
One of the biggest reasons people avoid having a sinus lift and/or dental implant procedure performed is concern over the pain and discomfort they will experience during the procedure. While there will be a recovery period following the sinus lift procedure that will be somewhat uncomfortable, local anesthetics and dental sedation options all but guarantee that the patient will experience minimal to no discomfort while the procedure is being performed.
If you have been avoiding having a sinus lift performed out of concern that it will be too painful, talk to your dentist or periodontist about dental sedation options. In general, the lightest form of dental sedation will be recommended, which is typically administered via pill (oral sedation) or as a gas (Nitrous Oxide), but for patients who have extreme dental phobia or for patients who are scheduled to have long and surgically invasive procedures performed, IV sedation is also an option. If IV sedation is used, most patients will have no memory of the procedure being performed.
Following your sinus lift procedure, you may begin to experience some discomfort once the effects of the sedation and local anesthetic wear off, which is why it is highly recommended that you clear your schedule for at least a few days following your sinus lift procedure. Facial swelling, discomfort, pain and bruising are very common and can typically be managed with over the counter pain medication, ice therapy, and/or a combination of both. If applying ice to the area of swelling, be sure to leave the ice pack on for no longer than 10-15 minutes and taking at least a 10-15-minute pause in between. If you are prescribed antibiotics or pain medication, be certain that you take as prescribed until the prescription runs out, and that you have updated your periodontist on any important medical events that have occurred recently.
While every patient will have slightly different aftercare instructions depending on their unique needs, one of the most important things for patients who have a sinus lift performed to be aware of is to avoid sneezing and/or blowing your nose for the first month following your procedure. If you must sneeze, open your mouth while doing so. It is also important to not spit or rinse forcefully and to use a soft bristle toothbrush over the surgical area.
If you still have any questions regarding the amount of pain involved in having a sinus lift, or if you have had a sinus lift and are experiencing pain that does not feel normal, contact your periodontist for an evaluation.
