A clinical and radiographic case series of implants placed with the simplified minimally invasive antral membrane elevation technique in the posterior maxilla

The aim of the present case series was to evaluate a simplified minimally invasive transalveolar sinus elevation technique utilizing calcium phosphosilicate (CPS) putty for hydraulic sinus membrane elevation. The simplified minimally invasive antral membrane elevation technique is based on the application of hydraulic pressure via a viscous bone graft that acts as an incompressible fluid. In this retrospective study, 21 patients (mean age: 48.5 ± 12 years) consecutively treated with the simplified minimally invasive transalveolar sinus elevation technique were evaluated. 28 tapered implants were placed in posterior maxillary sites with less than 6 mm of residual bone height as determined radiographically on cone beam volumetric tomographs. No sinus membrane perforations were noted and none of the patients complained of symptoms of sinusitis post-operatively (0%). The mean gain in bone height post-operatively was 10.31 ± 2.46 mm (p < 0.001). All implants successfully integrated (100% success rate) and were loaded with cement-retained prostheses. The proposed technique is a simple, efficacious, minimally invasive approach for sinus elevation that can be recommended for sites with at least 3 mm of residual height.