Crestal approach for maxillary sinus augmentation in individuals with limited alveolar bone height: An observational study

In cases where the bone presence is <4 mm, the lateral approach is typically the first approach considered. Nevertheless, for patients who prefer minimally invasive procedures or wish to reduce postoperative discomfort, the crestal approach is a viable option. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of crestal sinus augmentation for achieving adequate bone in individuals with residual bone measuring <3 mm. The study comprised 11 participants (63.6 ± 10.9 years of age) who were treated at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital between 2021 and 2023 and received crestal approach sinus augmentation due to insufficient bone density of <3 mm using the crestal approach kit. Pre-augmentation and post-augmentation cone-beam computed tomographic images were analyzed using the imaging software to measure vertical bone height, bucco-palatal width, and mesio-distal width. Before the intervention, the height of the vertical bone was 2.1 ± 0.5 mm, while the width from buccal to palatal was 10.6 ± 2.9 mm, and the width from mesial to distal was 9.9 ± 1.2 mm. Following the intervention, these measurements increased to 8.8 ± 0.9 mm, 12.2 ± 2.2 mm, and 10.2 ± 1.2 mm, respectively. The change in height of the vertical bone was 6.7 ± 1.0 mm, in bucco-palatal width was 1.6 ± 1.4 mm, and in mesio-distal width was 0.3 ± 0.4 mm. The results revealed a significant rise in the height of the vertical bone and bucco-palatal width. Crestal sinus augmentation has been demonstrated to be a highly effective approach for achieving an adequate quantity of bone in patients with residual bone <3 mm. Nonetheless, further observation is required to evaluate the long-term prognosis of the procedures.