PREVALENCE OF SCHNEIDERIAN MEMBRANE PERFORATION DURING MAXILLARY SINUS AUGMENTATION PROCEDURES USING ULTRASOUND VERSUS ROTARY TECHNIQUES

Schneiderian membrane perforation is one of the main complications during sinus augmentation. The aim of the study was to investigate sinus membrane rupture in maxillary sinus lifting surgery with the ultrasound and with conventional rotary technique, analyzing the bone gain obtained after the operation using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), and examining the post-augmentation survival of implants. Twenty-two patients requiring dental implant therapy in the posterior maxillary region with insufficient bone volume were included in the study. Patients were randomly and equally allocated to Piezosurgery group and the conventional rotary group. A total of 22 sinus lifting surgeries were carried out; 11 with ultrasound in piezosurgery group and 11 with DASK drills in conventional rotary group. A total of 47 dental implants were placed three months after sinus augmentation. Patients were randomly and equally allocated to Piezosurgery group and the conventional rotary group. In either Piezosurgery group or conventional group a total of 11 sinus lifting surgeries in 11 patients were performed.  The bone gain obtained as a result of sinus lift was calculated using CBCT scanning.  Perforations of Schneider’s membrane with the ultrasound and rotary technique occurred in 9% and 18 % of the cases, respectively, with membrane integrity being preserved in 86.3% of operated patients. All 47 implants placed showed the implant success criteria throughout postoperative follow-up in the both study groups. No statically significant difference in bone gain was recorded between study groups. In conclusions, perforations of the membrane in sinus lift were more frequent with the rotary technique (18%) than with ultrasound (9%). Implant survival and bone gain were statistically showed no significant difference between the two study groups throughout follow-up period.