ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Sinus augmentation is a standard procedure to increase vertical bone supply for dental implants in the atrophic posterior maxilla. Despite the longstanding application of this method, information about some basic factors that could potentially influence bone regeneration after sinus augmentation is rare. The objective of this study was therefore to quantify the impact of the maxillary region (premolar/molar) and patients' age and sex on bone regeneration after sinus grafting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sinus augmentation procedures were performed in 107 patients (66 female: 52.8 ± 11.0 years, 41 male: 50.6 ± 11.3 years). After 6 ± 1 months, 201 sinus biopsies were harvested and histomorphometrically analysed. Height (oldHt) and bone volume fraction of pristine bone (oldBV/TV), as well as the amount of new bone (newBV/TV) and bone-to-bone substitute contact (BBSC) in the augmentation area, were assessed. RESULTS: In women, newBV/TV in the augmented sinus decreased significantly by 0.22 ± 0.08% per year. In men, no similar trend was observed. There were strong influences of the maxillary region and the dimensions of the host bone. In the premolar region, newBV/TV was 23.1 ± 7.9% and 25.1 ± 10.1%; in the molar region, newBV/TV averaged 20.4 ± 9.4% and 17.8 ± 8.8% for women and men, respectively. The greater the thickness of the wall of the sinus floor (mainly in the former premolar region), the greater was the amount of new bone tissue formed in the spaces in-between bone substitute particles. CONCLUSIONS: These empirical results derived from a large human sample, link factors that influence the quality of biomaterial integration to the known clinical risks for the success of dental implants.
