Apparatus and method for closing a sinus opening during a dental implant operation

Abstract

An apparatus and method by which a sinus lift operation can be continued in the presence of a tear in the Schneiderian membrane covering the floor of the sinus cavity prior to installing a dental implant in an edentulous region. During such an operation, an incision is made through the tissue covering the dental ridge and an opening is created through the maxillary bone toward the sinus cavity for the purpose of inserting bone fragments under the Schneiderian membrane on the floor of the cavity. If the membrane is torn, a balloon is inserted into the opening through the maxillary bone and the membrane into the sinus cavity, such that the closed end of the balloon extends into the sinus cavity and its open end or lips are adjacent the opening at the surface of the dental ridge. The balloon lips are fastened to the dental ridge surrounding the opening, for example, by adhesive. Bone fragments are inserted into the balloon such that a lower portion of the sinus cavity is filled with the balloon portion that contains the fragments. The fragments continue to be inserted into the balloon until the opening leading to the dental ridge is completely filled. The ridge is closed and time is allowed to pass for the bone chips and/or fragments to fuse with each other and with the surrounding bone. This creates additional bone in the edentulous region which will accommodate a dental implant. The closed end of the balloon within the sinus cavity can have folds to permit expansion into a fan-like shape.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.