Following the loss of maxillary posterior teeth, alveolar ridge resorption and maxillary sinus pneumatization lead to insufficient vertical bone volume, which makes it difficult for implants to obtain adequate bone support and restricts restoration design. Maxillary sinus floor elevation is a common surgical procedure to reconstruct bone support in this region. Nevertheless, clinical evaluations mostly focus on bone height and implant survival rate, while insufficient attention is paid to functional and aesthetic effects. Following the restoration-driven principle, this review focuses on the therapeutic chain consisting of bone augmentation, soft tissue management and transmucosal contour. It discusses the guiding effect of restoration objectives on implant positioning, compares bone-augmentation characteristics of two surgical approaches, and analyzes the influences of materials, soft tissues and digital factors on long-term maintenance of restoration morphology. On this basis, a multi-dimensional evaluation framework covering hard tissues, soft tissues, restoration morphology and function, as well as patient-reported outcomes is proposed, so as to provide references for clinical decision-making.