When the sinus sits a little too close, there's a careful way to make room.
If you've been told there isn't enough bone height for an implant in your upper back jaw, the maxillary sinus is usually the reason. A sinus lift is a well-established, specific type of bone grafting for exactly that situation — and it's only ever recommended when your 3D imaging shows it's genuinely required.
A 3D look at how a sinus lift builds bone height
What is a sinus lift?
A sinus lift is a specific type of bone grafting used in the upper back jaw. The sinus membrane is gently lifted and graft material placed beneath it, building the bone height needed to support a dental implant in that area. It's only recommended where 3D imaging shows it's genuinely needed.
If your missing tooth is at the back of the upper jaw, there's an extra factor to consider: the maxillary sinus, an air-filled space that sits just above the roots of your upper back teeth. In some people, especially after a tooth's been missing for a long time, the sinus floor can sit quite close to the available bone, leaving too little height for an implant.
A sinus lift addresses this directly — the sinus membrane is gently lifted, and graft material is placed underneath it to build up the bone height needed. It's a well-established procedure used only in this part of the jaw, and it's only ever recommended if your imaging shows it's genuinely required for your implant to have a stable foundation.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, please seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Three situations where a sinus lift enters the conversation.
A sinus lift only applies to upper back sites, and it's only ever recommended where imaging shows it's genuinely needed. These are the situations where it's discussed most.
One upper back tooth, missing for a while
- —After a long time without a tooth at that site, the sinus floor can sit close to the available bone.
- —That can leave too little height for an implant without building the bone first.
- —3D imaging shows exactly how much height is there before anything is recommended.
Several upper teeth, including back sites
- —With multiple sites, some may need a sinus lift while others don't.
- —Each site is mapped individually with 3D imaging, not treated as one blanket case.
- —You'll know which sites are affected before any treatment begins.
An upper-arch All-on-X or implant denture
- —For full-arch treatment, the sinus is a relevant factor for the back implant positions.
- —It's discussed more often after years of missing upper teeth or denture wear.
- —It's only recommended where your imaging shows it's genuinely required.
Suitability, healing time and results vary between individuals. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks — before proceeding, please seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
How a sinus lift fits into an implant plan.
A sinus lift isn't a separate project — it's one preparation step inside the implant plan, given proper healing time before the implant is placed.
3D imaging & assessment
We measure the bone height between the sinus floor and the available bone, so the recommendation comes from a measurement, not an assumption.
Lifting the sinus membrane
The sinus membrane is gently lifted, creating space beneath it. It's a careful, well-established step specific to this part of the jaw.
Placing the graft material
Graft material is placed underneath the lifted membrane, building the bone height an implant needs at that site.
Healing, then the implant
The graft is given time to integrate before the implant is placed — adding healing time of its own to the plan. We'll give you a realistic projected timeline once we've assessed your site.
Timelines vary between individuals. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks — before proceeding, please seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Bone grafting elsewhere in the jaw involves no sinus
Elsewhere in the jaw, it's simply bone grafting.
A sinus lift is one specific type of bone grafting, used only in the upper back jaw. When bone volume is short anywhere else, grafting adds material at that site directly — the same goal, without the sinus being involved.
Either way, the starting point is the same: 3D imaging that shows exactly how much bone is there before anything is recommended. Read the full bone grafting page →
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, please seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
What it means for cost.
A sinus lift, when it's needed, is costed as part of your overall implant plan — you'll always see the exact cost in writing once we've assessed your jaw with 3D imaging, before agreeing to treatment. Nothing is assumed or added without being explained first.
We work with payment options that spread cost across smaller, regular amounts. Repayment figures from the estimator are illustrative, calculated by spreading the estimated total evenly across a Humm plan, and exclude any fees Humm may apply; finance is subject to Humm's own eligibility criteria and approval, which may not be granted.
Curious what an implant plan might cost week to week? Open the repayment estimator → →
Estimate only — not a quote or credit approval. Your actual cost is confirmed at consultation, and depends on whether bone grafting or a sinus lift is needed.
We accept
The things people usually ask.
Let's measure it properly first.
A short consultation with 3D imaging is usually enough to know whether a sinus lift applies to you at all — with a clear, written cost estimate before you decide anything.