The efficacy of mineralized allograft cortical and cancellous chips in maxillary sinus augmentations.

A mixture of mineralized allograft cortical and cancellous chips was used to augment the maxillary sinuses of 10 patients. Eleven sinus augmentation procedures were performed, and 19 bone cores were obtained at reentry after 6 to 7 months. Computed tomography at 6 months postaugmentation demonstrated bone formation in all sites. Light microscopic and histomorphometric evaluation confirmed bone formation at the treatment site that would receive osseointegrated implants to replace the missing maxillary posterior teeth. These encouraging results support the use of a mixture of mineralized allograft cortical and cancellous chips for sinus augmentation.