Maxillary sinus membrane (MSM) elevation is a common surgical technique for increasing bone height in the posterior maxilla prior to dental implant placement. However, the biological nature of bone regeneration in MSM remains largely unidentified.

Sinus lift procedures for implant placement involve the elevation of the maxillary sinus membrane for increasing bone height in the posterior maxilla.

Inadequate alveolar bone is a common limitation for inserting dental implants in the posterior maxilla.

Clinical and animal studies have shown that successful bone augmentation can be achieved by simply elevating the maxillary sinus membrane (MSM), with or without any bone grafting.

On the other hand, case reports have described spontaneous bone formation on the maxillary sinus floor following cyst and tooth removal.

The membrane obtained during orthognathic surgery could be used to isolate maxillary sinus membrane stem cells (MSMSCs) through the process of single colony selection and STRO-1 cell sorting.

These stem cells are of mesenchymal origin and positive for mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers such as STRO-1, CD146, CD29 and CD44; further, under defined culture conditions, MSMSCs were able to form mineral deposits and differentiate into adipocytes and chondrocytes.

MSMSCs showed the capacity to generate bone-like tissue and maintained their MSC characteristics after in vivo implantation when transplanted into immunocompromised rodents.

Cellular and molecular evidence about MSM stem cells show functional potential in bone regeneration for dental implants.