A sinus lift in the upper jaw is a similar procedure to a bone graft in the lower jaw. When the bone in the upper jaw is not thick enough to support an implant, a sinus lift is required. To place an implant in the upper jaw without sufficient bone density is a risky procedure, as the implant can pierce the sinus cavity and cause severe pain. Dentists perform sinus lift procedures to prevent this risk. In a bone graft procedure a piece of the patient’s bone or an artificial bone is placed over the existing jaw bone. In a sinus lift, instead of a bone fragment, bone powder is used to pack into the area to lift the sinus and create a thicker bone structure to hold the implant.