A systematic literature review and a meta-analysis of indirect sinus lift without the use of bone graft material was performed. A PubMed search was made from January 2005 to January 2012 with keywords: "sinus lift", "osteotome", "graft" and "maxillary sinus elevation". The inclusion criteria were: maxillary sinus lift technique with osteotomes with a minimum follow-up period of 5 months after surgery without bone graft material. 11 articles were included. The mean gain in residual crestal bone height after maxillary sinus lift without bone graft material was 3,43 mm ± 0,09 (2,5 mm - 4,4 mm). The survival rate ranged from 94% to 100%. Placement of implants with sinus lift without bone graft material, is a valid surgical technique to gain residual crestal height and placed implants in an atrophic posterior maxillary with a crestal height from 5 to 9 mm. Key words:Sinus lift, osteotome, graft, maxillary sinus elevation.