Thanks for the response, Steve.
I guess you pointed to the nature of the problem, and the probable
cause and solution.

As to Webby's question as to what I think is the mistake, it seems to
me that it is a mistake to let so much saliva gather in your patient's
throat that he is choking, and then not do anything about it!

This was not during implant surgery, if it was, I think the prof or
assistant would have addressed it. This was when he uncovered the
implants by cutting back my gums where he had covered them months
before to prevent infection.

What I was wondering is whether or not having a patient start choking
on saliva is common, and what you should do about it, and what the
patient should do.

The problem was, my mouth was full of cotton, so I could not speak,
the surgeon asked me if I needed a break and before I could say YES!,
he said, "This will just take a few more minutes, I'm almost done", so
I allowed him to continue (what choice did I really have?), and then
it took not just a few more minutes but another half an hour in which
I kept choking every few minutes and was using all my energy and
strength of mind not to allow myself to cough from the choking on
saliva in my throat. I was trying to swallow but could not swallow it
all and it kept gathering there.

I won't see this surgeon again until May when he cuts back the gums on
the upper 2 implants I just had. I will try to remember to tell him,
"Please, if I start to choke, let me take a break!"

I think it is just a matter of him taking longer than a regular
dentist, and then not being willing to stop to let me take a quick 1
minute break. Next time I'll tell him if I can remember.

I was just wondering if this was a common situation, or do I just have
more saliva build up than most, or is the dentist not suctioning
properly, or ?

Wish I'd read this before; I would have at least considered it more
carefully. I was sold on the idea (by my surgeon and his prof) that
this is a very simple and not very invasive procedure; certainly among
sinus lifts, the type I had done is the least invasive type.

I thought long and hard about it but in the end I decided it was the
only way I could get some teeth in my upper right jaw, and I have
exactly ZERO molars there now. If I had at least one or two already, I
would not have done this. But having NONE, it seemed worth some risk.

In the end, even with your opinion, I'd have probably done it anyway,
for the above reason.

I felt the same way you do: Why risk messing with my already
problematic sinuses?

I did read in at least 2 places that it can happen that the sinus lift
HELPS the sinuses, and this also was told to me by my surgeon.

So, in the end, despite the risk, I felt it was pretty much necessary,
given my lack of molars to chew with on my right side of the my mouth.

p.s. Dr. Bornfeld, is it possible you did not read the OP and just
assumed this was about the sinus lift operation?
In reality, this post was specifically about the idea of my surgeon
not stopping to let me swallow or rinse when I was getting my gum
surgery this time, or my implant surgery last time.
It wasn't about whether he did a good job on the implants or sinus
lift.

However, your comments on that were still welcome! ;-)