ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the success rate of dental implants and the changes of sinus membrane thickness after sinus lift in cases of thickened sinus membrane.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixteen patients without maxillary sinusitis and with 5-8 mm residual alveolar bone heights were included in this study. The sinus membrane thickeness of these patients were more than 2 mm. All patients received sinus lift surgery and dental implants insertion. The changes of sinus membrane was evaluated by cone-beam CT (CBCT) pre-surgery and 6 months after sinus lift surgery, and the short term success rate of dental implants was also evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 18 implants from 16 subjects were inserted. The thickness of membrane was decreased in 14 cases after sinus lift and increased in 2 cases. All the orifice of maxillary sinus was unobstructed before surgery, one case was obstructed after surgery without inflammation. All the dental implants succeeded.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Sinus augmentation with thickened sinus membrane is not contraindication of sinus lift.</p>