Bovine Graft for Sinus Lift has disintegrated: options?
My oral surgeon used a bovine graft in my sinus lift to create bone for implants. Much of it has disintegrated. Another oral surgeon, upon his viewing my x-rays and seeing it was bovine, exclaimed “this is why I don’t use bovine”. What are my options now? Do I need to regraft? should I try bovine again? why is there such a difference of opinion as to bovine grafts?
3 Comments on Bovine Graft for Sinus Lift has disintegrated: options?
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charles
10/21/2013
i use only allograft now for my sinus lift and have no problems
i had a lot of problems with bovine graft in the past.
Samuel Barr
10/22/2013
It can happen, when using graft material that can be totally resorbed, that the graft seems to disappear over time. This can happen when using bovine or human graft material. It seems to happen more often in some patients than others. I have seen it happen in patients with chronic sinus issues.
For this reason, often the sinus graft is made larger than what is felt will be needed, to attempt to allow for this. Some surgeons will mix a certain amount of non-resorbable graft material in with the resorbable, to attempt to stabilize the volume of graft.
Carlos Boudet, DDS DICOI
10/22/2013
Bovine bone grafts are generally used in the sinus in a mixture, to give opacity to the graft material so that it can be seen better in the x-rays.
It also resorbs very little, so you are more likely to maintain the volume of the graft.
If the graft has disappeared, it could be caused by not placing enough graft material in the sinus, or packing it too loose.
Many surgeons will tell you that it doesn't matter what type of graft you put in the sinus since they all work.
If you don't have enough bone, then your option would be to regraft.
I would not place short implants in that area.
Good luck!
