Sinus Lift: What It Is, Recovery, and Cost

A sinus lift rebuilds bone height in the upper back jaw by gently lifting the maxillary sinus membrane and packing bone graft material into the space underneath. It's needed when implants are planned in the upper back jaw and the available bone height is less than 6–8 mm.

The name sounds dramatic; the procedure is routine. Dr. Qiu performs them weekly. Recovery is similar to implant placement alone: 48 hours of mild discomfort, back to work at 48 hours, full activity at one week.

The maxillary sinus is a hollow air space inside the cheekbone, sitting directly above the upper back teeth. The floor of the sinus is normally separated from the upper jawbone by 8–15 mm of bone.

Once upper back teeth are lost, the bone beneath them resorbs and the sinus floor "drops down" into the resulting space — sometimes leaving only 2–3 mm of bone between the gum and the sinus. That's too shallow for a standard implant.

A sinus lift restores enough vertical bone for implant placement. About 1 in 5 of our upper-jaw implant cases needs one.

Crestal (internal) sinus lift. Performed through the implant osteotomy itself. We gently push the sinus floor upward through the implant site and pack a small amount of bone graft underneath. Used for moderate lifts (2–4 mm) where the implant can be placed at the same surgery.

Lateral (window) sinus lift. A small window is created in the cheekbone wall to access the sinus floor from the side. The membrane is lifted, bone graft is packed in, and the window is closed. Used for larger lifts (4–8 mm or more) where significant volume is needed. Implant is placed either at the same surgery (if enough native bone exists for stability) or 4–6 months later.

We choose the technique at the planning stage from your CT scan.

Day 1 pain is usually a 3–4 out of 10, similar to implant placement. Some patients feel mild pressure in the cheek or under the eye for a few days as the area heals — like a mild sinus infection. Bleeding from the nose is occasionally seen on Day 1 and is normal.

We give specific post-op instructions to protect the lifted membrane: no nose-blowing for 2 weeks, sneeze with your mouth open, avoid air travel for 2 weeks, and avoid drinking through straws.

Most patients return to a desk job at 48 hours and to full activity at one week. The bone graft integrates over 4–6 months; we image at the 4-month mark to confirm volume before placing the implant (for lateral lifts done as a separate procedure).

Sinus lift success rate (graft takes and produces adequate bone for implant placement) is 95–97% in published studies. Implants placed in sinus-lifted bone have similar 10-year survival to implants placed in native bone — around 95%.

The main complication is membrane perforation during the lift (5–15% of cases). When this happens, the perforation is repaired with a collagen membrane and the graft proceeds. Outcomes are similar to unperforated cases.

Crestal (internal) sinus lift: $800–$1,500, often included as part of the implant fee when done at the same surgery.

Lateral (window) sinus lift: $2,000–$3,500 per side, depending on graft volume and complexity.

Insurance coverage varies. Some PPO plans cover sinus lifts as part of the surgical fee; others exclude them entirely. We verify your specific coverage at the consult.