Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of intraoperative complications during maxillary sinus elevation with lateral approach using a piezoelectric device with two different surgical techniques.
Materials and methods: Antrostomies were randomly performed by outlining a window (group A, 36 patients) or by eroding the cortical wall with a grinding insert until the membrane was visible under a thin layer of bone, before outlining the window (group B, 36 patients). Occurrence of membrane perforation, laceration of vascular branches, and surgical time was recorded.
Results: Seventy-two patients underwent sinus floor elevation: four perforations (11.1%) were observed in group A (two occurred during elevation with hand instruments) and zero perforations in group B (p < .05). No evidence of vascular lacerations was registered in both groups. A clinically insignificant but statistically shorter surgical time was recorded in group A (9.2 ± 3.7 minutes) than in group B (13.3 ± 2.4 minutes; p < .05).
Conclusions: Within the limits of the present study, it may be concluded that ultrasonic erosion of the lateral wall of the sinus is a more predictable technique than piezoelectric outlining of a bone window in preventing from accidental perforations of Schneiderian membrane during sinus augmentation procedures.
Keywords: lateral antrostomy; membrane perforation; piezosurgery; randomized clinical trial.
© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.