Bone grafts and sinus lifts in Turkey: the months before implants.

An implant needs enough healthy bone around it, in height and width, to hold firmly while it heals and for years afterwards. Jawbone that no longer has a tooth to support gradually shrinks. That’s why bone is often thin after:

• Teeth that were taken out years ago, especially if the gap was never filled
• Long-term denture wearing, which slowly wears the ridge down
• Gum disease (periodontitis), infections or injury
• In the back of the upper jaw, the sinus enlarging downwards into space where roots used to be

A bone graft rebuilds the missing bone. A sinus lift is a specific kind of graft for the back of the upper jaw.

The graft material can be your own bone, donated human bone, animal-derived bone (most often bovine) or a synthetic substitute, usually covered by a membrane. Your own bone is often described as the gold standard, but taking it means a second surgical site. Cochrane reviews have not found that any one material or technique clearly leads to fewer implant failures than the others.

The maxillary sinuses sit just above the roots of the upper back teeth. A sinus lift gently raises the thin lining of the sinus floor and places graft material underneath, creating height for an implant.

Only a 3D cone beam CT (CBCT) scan can show how much bone you have, where it is, and how close the sinus and nerves are. A panoramic X-ray or a photo isn’t enough to decide. If you’ve had a CT scan in the UK, ask for a copy to send with your quote request.

• Short implants. A Cochrane review compared short implants (5–8.5 mm) with sinus lifts where there was 4–9 mm of bone. It found too little evidence to say either had fewer failures after a year, but more complications at sites treated with a sinus lift.
• Angled implants. Full-arch techniques like All-on-4 tilt the back implants to use the bone that’s left, which can avoid grafting.
• Zygomatic or pterygoid implants. For severe upper-jaw bone loss, long implants anchored in the cheekbone can replace grafting. See zygomatic implants in Turkey.
• Fewer implants, or a different restoration. A bridge, an implant-retained denture or a conventional denture may suit some people better.

Not every alternative suits every mouth. A good surgeon will explain why they’re recommending a graft over these options, using your scan.

Grafted bone needs time to mature before it can hold an implant. Published guidance gives a range: around 3–9 months for most grafts, and an NHS trust leaflet puts bone healing after a lateral sinus lift at about 4–9 months, with 6–12 months or longer from surgery to final teeth.

That’s a staged plan. If the graft can be done at the same time as the implants, which is common with smaller grafts and internal sinus lifts, it’s usually two trips, with a longer gap before the final teeth. More in our implant timeline guide.

UK private, bone graft£150–£2,500Socket preservation £150–£400; ridge augmentation £400–£1,500 or more

UK private, sinus lift per side£600–£3,000Internal often £400–£800; lateral £800–£2,500

Turkey, bone graft per site€130–€600Guide range published by one Turkish hospital group, Aug 2026

Turkey, sinus lift€800–€1,950Same source; clinics rarely publish GBP prices

Typical published ranges, October 2026. Turkish grafting prices are less consistent than implant prices, and many “from” implant prices exclude grafting entirely. Your quote from us will be in GBP and will list the graft, the material and the membrane separately.

Grafting is routine for implant surgeons, but it’s still surgery. One NHS trust gives these figures for sinus lifts in its patient information:

• A tear in the sinus lining during surgery: about 19% with the lateral technique and 3.8% with the internal one. It’s often repaired at the time, or the lift is paused and retried after healing.
• Infection: about 2.9% (lateral) and 0.8% (internal).
• Graft exposure through the gum (about 3%), or the graft failing to form bone (about 1.9% with the lateral technique), with a higher risk in smokers.
• Swelling, bruising and a blocked-sinus feeling for days to weeks; nosebleeds are common early on.
• Numbness of the cheek, gum or teeth, usually temporary and very rarely permanent.

When things go wrong after a sinus lift, they can be hard to fix, especially from another country. It’s why surgeon experience, a proper scan and enough healing time matter more here than price.

• Who will do the graft, and how many sinus lifts and grafts do they do a year?
• What does my CT scan show, and why is a graft needed rather than short or angled implants?
• Which technique, and will the implant go in at the same time?
• Which graft and membrane material, and is any of it animal-derived?
• How will you confirm the bone is ready before placing implants?
• How long should I wait before flying home?
• If the graft fails, who pays for the repeat surgery, flights and hotel?

Most of the healing happens at home, in the months between trips. Before you leave Turkey, make sure you have your CT scans, the operation notes, the graft and membrane products used, and a written aftercare plan.

• Follow the instructions you're given: usually no nose blowing for about two weeks after a sinus lift
• Take any prescribed antibiotics or decongestants as directed
• Get help if swelling or pain gets worse after the first couple of days, bleeding won't stop, you have a fever, or graft granules come out of your nose
• Tell your UK dentist what's been done, and book a check during the healing months

More on what UK dentists will and won’t do in our aftercare guide, and if something goes wrong after you’re home, here’s exactly what we do.

1. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Sinus lift procedures (patient information)
2. Esposito et al. (2014): Augmentation procedures of the maxillary sinus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
3. Esposito et al. (2009): Horizontal and vertical bone augmentation techniques for dental implant treatment, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
4. British Association of Oral Surgeons: Bone grafting (patient information sheet)
5. dentistcost.co.uk: Dental bone graft cost in the UK
6. Dentaly: Sinus lift cost in the UK
7. Acıbadem International: Dental bone graft cost (Turkey guide ranges)
8. General Dental Council: Going abroad for dental treatment

This guide is general information, not a substitute for advice from a surgeon who has examined you and your scans.