Discussion

Abstract

Since the development of the sinus graft procedure in the mid-1970s, clinicians have been evaluating alternatives to autologous bone. Tatum 1 Tatum H Maxillary and sinus implant reconstructions. Dent Clin North Am. 1986; 30: 207 PubMed Google Scholar was the first to consider a bone substitute in sinus grafts and used tricalcium phosphate. Over the years, numerous bone substitutes, including allografts, alloplasts, and xenografts, have been used or combined with autologous bone for sinus grafting. The 1996 Sinus Consensus Conference evaluated retrospective data on various graft materials and concluded that they all seemed to perform well. 2 Jensen OT Shulman LB Block MS et al. Report of the Sinus Consensus Conference of 1996. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants. 1998; 13: 11 PubMed Google Scholar However, the data analysis did not consider the amount of residual bone below the sinus. Bone substitutes were recommended for the posterior maxilla with less resorption or sinus pneumatization. Prospective clinical trials were recommended to evaluate bone substitutes in cases with minimal residual bone height.