Sinus Floor Elevation with Modified Crestal Approach and Single Loaded Short Implants: A Case Report with 4 Years of Follow-Up

Tooth extraction is usually followed by bone reduction. In the maxillary posterior region, this remodelling combined with sinus pneumatisation and periodontal defects may lead to a reduced basal bone height available for implant placement. Sinus 1oor elevation can be performed with di2erent surgical techniques. Crestal approach has demonstrated to be e2ective, less invasive, and associated with a reduced morbidity. (is article reports a modi4ed sinus 1oor elevation by means of rotary, noncutting instruments, addition of xenograft, and 2 short-threaded implant placements. (e aim of the study was to evaluate the implant’s success and intrasinus radiographical bone gain after 4 years of functional loading. (e premolar implant site presented a starting basal bone height of 6 mm, while the molar site was of 2 mm. In the 4rst surgical step, sinus 1oor elevation was performed mesially and the implant was inserted, and distally only sinus 1oor elevation was performed. After 6 months, the mesial implant was uncovered and the second implant was inserted; 4 months later, the second 4xture was uncovered, and both 4xtures were loaded with single provisional screw-retained crowns and later with single screw-retained porcelain fused to metal crowns. Implants integrated successfully, and crestal bone remodelling did not exceed the smooth collar. Bone gain was 3 mm for the mesial implant and more than 5 mm for the distal one.