The Smart Lift technique in conjunction with the additional use of either S-HA or DBBM may provide a predictable elevation of the maxillary sinus floor along with limited post-surgical complications and post-operative pain/discomfort. SL and aGH were significantly greater at 6 months for S-HA than DBBM.

AimTo comparatively evaluate the morbidity following maxillary sinus floor elevation according to either transcrestal (tSFE) or lateral (lSFE) approach with concomitant implant placement.Materials & MethodsPatients with ≥1 edentulous maxillary posterior site with residual bone height (RBH) of 3–6 mm were enrolled. tSFE was performed in association with a xenograft and a collagen matrix. For lSFE, the sinus was grafted with the xenograft, and the antrostomy was covered with a membrane. Implants were inserted concomitantly. The postoperative course was assessed through questionnaires. Pain level (VAS pain) was recorded using a 100‐mm visual analogue scale.ResultsTwenty‐nine and 28 patients were included in tSFE and lSFE group, respectively. On the day of surgery, VAS pain was significantly higher for tSFE compared to lSFE, and similar from day 1 to 14. tSFE was characterized by significantly lower incidence of swelling, bruising and nasal discharge/bleeding. Significantly less severe limitation in swallowing, continuing daily activities, eating, speaking, opening the mouth and going to school/work was found for tSFE only at specific postsurgery intervals.Conclusions lSFE was associated with lower pain on the day of surgery, and tSFE revealed lower postoperative morbidity as well as more tolerable postoperative course.

The Smart Lift technique in conjunction with the additional use of either DBBM or β-TCP may provide a substantial elevation of the maxillary sinus floor along with limited post-surgical complications and post-operative pain/discomfort.

The proposed technique represents a suitable option to elevate the sinus floor due to a predictable displacement of the sinus floor and a limited post-operative morbidity.

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After buccal SFA, greater post-surgery increase in bREC must be expected for deep intraosseous defects associated with a buccal dehiscence. The combination of a graft material and a bioactive agent in adjunct to the SFA may limit the postoperative increase in iREC.

Objectives To comparatively evaluate the radiographic outcomes of transcrestal and lateral sinus floor elevation (tSFE and lSFE, respectively) when applied concomitantly with implant placement. Materials and methods Patients with at least 1 edentulous site with residual bone height (RBH) of 3–6 mm were enrolled in a bi‐center, parallel‐arm, randomized trial. Both tSFE and lSFE were associated with a bovine‐derived xenograft, and implants were inserted concomitantly. In lSFE group, the antrostomy was covered with a resorbable collagen membrane. Marginal bone loss and the maturation of the grafted area were evaluated on periapical radiographs at 6 and 12 months. Twelve‐month CT/CBCT was used to assess the effect of grafting procedures circumferentially around the implant. A per‐protocol analysis was performed. Results The per‐protocol study population consisted of 26 patients in the tSFE group and 28 patients in the lSFE group. At 12 months, the median proportion of the implant surface in contact with the peri‐implant radiopaque area was 100% in both groups, with no significant inter‐group difference. Suboptimal bone‐to‐implant contact was observed in 13% and 3.6% of tSFE and lSFE cases, respectively. In both groups, marginal bone loss was minimal (≤1 mm) and infrequent, and the radiographic aspect was suggestive of an advanced stage of maturation. Conclusions At sites with RBH of 3–6 mm where implants are placed concomitantly with sinus floor elevation, tSFE and lSFE are both highly predictable in obtaining an implant surface completely embedded in a radiopaque area at 12 months post‐surgery. (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02415946).

Periodontal risk assessment according to Perio Risk may help to identify patients at risk for tooth loss during SPT.