Sinus Floor Elevation and Antrostomy Healing: A Histomorphometric Clinical Study in Humans

Objectives:To compare the histomorphometric outcomes of biopsies collected from the antrostomy and from the alveolar crest of the maxillary sinus after a sinus-lift procedure.Material and Methods:In 12 volunteers, sinus floor elevation was performed using collagenated corticocancellous porcine bone. Nine months after the surgery, 2 biopsies, 1 from the alveolar crest and 1 from the antrostomy, were collected for histological analysis.Results:Biopsies from 11 patients were available for histological analyses (n = 11). At the alveolar crest sites, the percentage of mineralized bone was 40.1 ± 14.1%, of bone marrow was 40.1 ± 18.0%, and of the xenograft was 14.7 ± 15.2%. Small amounts of soft tissue were found. At the antrostomy sites, the percentages of mineralized bone, bone marrow, and xenograft were 26.0 ± 10.8%, 23.4 ± 17.0%, and 28.2 ± 15.7%, respectively. Soft tissue was represented by 19.7 ± 19.4%.Conclusion:Higher amounts of mineralized bone and bone marrow were found in the alveolar crest compared with the antrostomy.