Pneumatization of the maxillary sinus lift secondary to posterior maxillary tooth loss is an extremely common finding.

Maxillary Sinus Lift – Significant atrophy of the maxilla prevents dental implant placement in this region. Grafting the floor of the maxillary sinus has emerged as the most common surgical modality for correcting this inadequacy. Graft material is introduced into the space created inferior to the sinus membrane. Various grafting materials and techniques might be used in this procedure. The aim of this article is to review the essentials of maxillary sinus augmentation, clarify this procedure for otolaryngologists, explain its function, and describe the augmentation materials, techniques, and complications.

Paranasal sinuses are important anatomical structures in both medicine and dentistry. The maxillary sinus is the most relevant to dental practitioners due to its proximity to the posterior maxillary teeth. Dentists are often required to make a diagnosis concerning orofacial pain that may be sinogenic in origin. Maxillary sinus diseases can be observed coincidentally on radiographs from routine dental examinations and considered in differential diagnosis. Therefore, most dentists unintentionally take a look at the maxillary sinus of their patients.

The maxillary sinus or antrum of Highmore is generally avoided during dental surgeries. Communication or the development of space, between the maxillary sinus and the buccal cavity (oroantral) or between the nasal and buccal cavities (oronasal), has always been considered an undesired issue but is accepted as a complication when encountered after tooth extraction or any other oral‐surgical procedure

[1]. Disintegration or perforation of the sinus membrane is an unwelcome incident because of the need for additional surgeries.

In the instance of chronic oroantral fistula occurrence, the established fistula enables the passage between the oral cavity and the maxillary sinus. Consequently, the microbial flora can exchange and inflammation may occur with various possible consequences.

This simple complication might lead to major problems, be handled easily, or recover spontaneously. Therefore, oral and maxillofacial surgeons are always careful about complications associated with the maxillary sinus. Furthermore, in general, otolaryngologists, leading physicians in paranasal sinus diseases, prefer to avoid direct contact with the sinus. Thus, an open transantral approach (the Caldwell‐Luc operation) is rarely performed compared to less invasive endoscopic approaches, except for occasional situations

[2]. Conversely, almost every dental implant practitioner interferes directly with the maxillary sinus or its neighboring parts in the alveolar bone and performs surgeries within close proximity to the antrum of Highmore. In particular, maxillary sinus augmentation has become one of the most popul