Facial trauma, unchecked gum disease, and tooth loss can result in jawbone recession, making it difficult to qualify for dental implants.
Bone grafting is a procedure designed to add volume and density to the jawbone and reestablish your candidacy for implant placement.
Let’s take a closer look at how bone grafting works…
Bone grafting can help replace missing teeth.
Using a biocompatible grafting material or tissue from another part of your body, bone grafting can repair a compromised smile and create a stable foundation for dental implants.
Bone grafting can protect your smile after tooth extraction.
After removing a tooth, the jawbone can deteriorate. By packing the tooth socket with grafting material, a bone graft can prevent tissue loss.
Treatment has a high success rate.
Studies have shown that dental implants placed in grafted tissue have similar success rates to implants placed in natural bone.
How does bone grafting prepare you for an implant?
Dental implants placed in grafted bone tissue have shown outstanding success rates, similar to those of implants placed in natural bone.
Bone grafting is safe and effective, with long-lasting results.
Thanks to careful planning and minimally invasive techniques, bone grafting is predictable and results in minimal discomfort. In addition to local anesthetic, which numbs the treatment area, your dentist may be able to provide sedation. Options such as nitrous oxide, oral medication, and intravenous sedation are safe and reliable.
Here’s what to expect during bone grafting…
Bone grafting replaces deficient jawbone areas with healthy bone tissue, creating a stable foundation for your new dental implants.
The Bone Grafting Process
Your dentist will conduct imaging to assess the quality and quantity of your bone tissue and decide where the bone grafts are needed.
On the day of surgery, your dentist will create an incision in your gums and carefully place the synthetic grafting material or autologous bone tissue in the recessed jawbone.
Your dentist will close the surgery site with sutures.
You will be sent home to recover and should be fully healed within approximately three months.
When your bone tissue is healed, your dentist will schedule your implant surgery.
Sounds pretty straightforward. But are you a good candidate?
Restore Your Health & Appearance
To qualify for a bone graft, you must be healthy enough for surgery. Your dentist can work with you to determine which type of grafting material will produce the best results. If you want to enjoy the benefits of dental implants without undergoing bone grafting, ask your dentist if they offer All-on-4® or mini implants. These treatments often do not require preparatory procedures such as bone grafting.
Bone grafting can renew your eligibility for dental implants and improve the structure of your jaw. If you are missing teeth, schedule an appointment today and find out whether you need a bone graft.