BACKGROUND
Although dental implantation has become widespread and acceptable treatment for dental prosthodontics, maxillary posterior jaw region is often complicated by the pneumatization of the maxillary sinus and physiological resorption of the alveolar bone. When this occurs, the residual bone between the floor of the sinus and the crestal ridge is inadequate for the placement of implants. The sinus elevation procedure provides a way to increase the amount of available bone and to allow the placement of longer implants. MATERIALS & METHODS: We studied 11 patients requiring the implant placements and the maxillary sinus elevation simultaneously from 1996 to 2003 in our clinic. Nine patients were males and two patients were females, aged from 39 to 72(mean=51.6). Four patients had medical compromised states; angina pectoris, diabetes, hypertension, hepatitis. Patients didn't show any pathologic findings clinically or radiographically. We studied the success and survival rate of implants, factors increasing the osseointegrating capacity of implants. RESULTS: The success rate of osseointegration of implants was 93%. At least 6 months after loading on implants, the survival rate of implants was 78.5%. Autogenous bone graft and adequate residual bone height(>6mm) increased survival rate of implants. CONCLUSION: Successful implant placement with maxillary sinus elevation mainly depends on sufficient residual bone height, healthy maxillary sinus, autogenous bone graft.