Flapless Approach to Maxillary Sinus Augmentation Using Minimally Invasive Antral Membrane Balloon Elevation

In the atrophic posterior maxilla, successful implant placement is often complicated by the lack of quality and volume of available bone. In these cases, sinus floor augmentation is recommended to gain sufficient bone around the implants. Sinus elevation can be performed by either an open lateral window approach or by a closed osteotome approach depending on available bone height. This case series demonstrates the feasibility and safety of minimally invasive antral membrane balloon elevation, followed by bone augmentation and implant fixation in 20 patients with a residual bone height of 2 to 6 mm below the sinus floor. The surgical procedure was performed using a flapless approach. At 18 months follow-up, the implant survival rate was 100%. Absence of patient morbidity and satisfactory bone augmentation with this minimally invasive procedure suggests that minimally invasive antral membrane balloon elevation should be considered as an alternative to some of the currently used methods of maxillary bone augmentation. (Implant Dent 2011; 20: 434-438)