Article:
The Effect of Piezoelectric Use on Open Sinus Lift Perforation: A Retrospective Evaluation of 56 Consecutively Treated Cases From Private Practices

Summary:
Endosseous dental implant surgery in the posterior maxilla requires the consideration of multiple factors, especially those of anatomic origin. Due to the reduced bone quality of the posterior maxilla, edentulism in this sextant often results in a resorbed osseous structure and a pneumatized maxillary sinus. When <5 mm of residual
bone remains between the alveolar crest and the
maxillary sinus, the traditional treatment option of
choice prior to implant placement is subantral
augmentation, more commonly known as the lateral
window sinus lift. This approach to increasing bone
available for placing implants uses a ‘‘window’’ in the
lateral bony wall of the maxillary sinus to gain access
to the underlying Schneiderian membrane. Although
implant survival rates associated with this procedure
routinely exceed 90%,the lateral window sinus lift
remains a technique-sensitive procedure due to the
high risk of Schneiderian membrane perforation
and hemorrhagic complications, the latter of which
is associated with the inadvertent laceration of the
intraosseous arterial supply to this region.