A maxillary sinus floor augmentation procedure (sometimes known informally as a sinus-lift or sinus procedure) is a surgical procedure performed by an appropriately trained dentist or dental specialist, to augment bone mass in the top jaw (maxilla), which increases the likelihood of successful placement of dental implants. Bone from another part of the body, such as the iliac crest, a human or animal donor (from an accredited tissue bank), or artificial bone grafting material is grafted into the bone (endosseous) above the floor of the maxillary sinus. In the upper jaw the amount of bone is reduced by the presence of the sinus. A number of techniques are used to increase the bone height:
Onlay grafts
Interpositional (Lefort I) grafts
Inlay grafts for nasal floor
Sinus-lift and grafting