Ten-year Follow-up of Implant Treatment after Bilateral Lateral Approach to Sinus Elevation with Autologous Bone: A Case Report

Maxillary sinus floor elevation is an option in cases where bone volume in the maxillary molar region is clearly insufficient to allow implant therapy. However, few studies have reported long-term observation of change in bone volume in the same case over a period of 10 or more years. This report describes a case of implant placement following maxillary sinus floor elevation using iliac bone with long-term monitoring of changes in peri-implant bone volume. The patient was a 58-year-old man who visited our clinic in April 2008 with the chief complaint of chewing problems due to missing teeth. The maxillary sinus floor bone had thinned on both sides, and bilateral maxillary sinus floor elevation using an iliac bone graft was therefore planned. In September 2008, trabecular bone containing bone marrow was harvested from the left side of the ilium, and bilateral maxillary sinus floor elevation was carried out with the patient under general anesthesia. After bone healing for approximately 6 months, a total of eight implants were placed in the maxilla under intravenous sedation in March and April 2009. A telescopic-retained implant-supported fixed bridge was attached as the final superstructure in April 2010. Regarding change in bone volume in the elevated maxillary sinus floor, a reduction in bone height was seen during the period between maxillary sinus floor elevation to implant placement. Following implant placement, however, there was no obvious decrease in bone volume, which has remained stable for 10 years following fitting of the superstructure. Maxillary sinus floor elevation with autologous iliac bone graft has thus shown long-term stability in bone volume over more than 10 years following the procedure. Rigorous follow-up of change in bone volume at the engraftment site is still needed, however.