title: Implant placement in combination with sinus membrane elevation without biomaterials: a 1-year study on 15 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Membrane elevation in combination with implant placement without biomaterials is a rather new technique proposed for sinus lifting.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed the clinical outcome of such technique during the first year of loading.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients with a mean residual bone height of 6.2 mm were consecutively recruited for sinus lifting. After opening a replaceable bone window, the membrane was dissected from the sinus walls. A total of 28 implants were placed in the residual crest and they kept the membrane lifted upwards. After window repositioning, the flap was sutured. A 6-month healing period was allowed. Patients were re-examined after 12 months of loading.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the implants survived at the end of the follow-up. The 5.5 mm mean bone reformation was significantly lower than the 8.2 mm mean membrane lift achieved after implant placement. Regeneration at the distal surface of the most posterior implants was significantly less than at other aspects. The height of membrane lift was not correlated with the amount of regenerated bone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All of the 28 implants placed in combination with sinus membrane elevation were stable during the first year of loading. No extra costs for biomaterial or morbidity for bone harvesting were necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. balleri2@unisi.it
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balleri
authors.forename: Balleri
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Piero
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veltri
authors.forename: Veltri
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mario
authors.forename: Niccolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nuti
authors.forename: Nuti
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Niccolò
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Ferrari
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marco
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001861:Bone Regeneration; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000601:surgery*; D059546:Sinus Floor Augmentation / Q000379:methods*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials