Dental Bone Grafting is Predictable
Getting a dental bone graft may sound a bit unsettling, but in the hands of a dental specialist, the procedure is straightforward, precise, and virtually painless. Current regenerative bone grafting procedures are very predictable in regards to their ability to grow jawbone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place dental implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance of your dentition. We encourage you to come in and learn more about dental bone grafting techniques.
Why Dental Bone Grafts May Be Necessary
There are several reasons dental bone grafts may be needed. Most frequently it is due to inadequate jawbone following an extraction. It is a normal physiological process for jawbone to resorb (shrink both vertically and horizontally) following extractions, creating a defect. Dental bone grafting can repair this resorption defect allowing for future implant placement for improved esthetics or function. Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. This is due to the process called pneumatization. This happens when the sinus in the upper jaw falls into the space where the extracted tooth once existed.
Where Does the Bone Grafting Material Come From
Almost always the bone that is used in dentistry is obtained from a tissue bank. It is important to note that there are different kinds of bone that are obtained from the tissue bank. All bone obtained from the tissue bank follows a rigid sterilization protocol rendering the bone graft safe for use by your surgeon.
Types of Bone Graft Procedures
A bone graft places material into the jaw, where it integrates over time, to thicken and strengthen the natural bone structure.
- Sinus lift or Sinus Augmentation – Performed on the upper jaw. The maxillary sinus membrane (floor) is raised, to make space for a bone graft to be placed between the jaw and sinus floor. A variety of grafting material may be used depending on the objective of the procedure.
- Socket graft or socket preservation – A socket graft involves filling the void where a tooth has been extracted with grafting material to maintain bone volume (height and width) while healing occurs. Again, a variety of grafting material may be used depending on the objective of the procedure.
- Ridge augmentation – If bone grafting is not done at the time of extraction and jaw bone resorption (shrinking) occurs there may be several reasons for you to seek ridge (jawbone) augmentation. It may be possible that there is not enough jawbone to place an implant or there may be a structural void in your jawbone. This void may cause an unaesthetic appearance, change in your speech, or food getting trapped in the void. Augmentation of the jawbone may help address these problem areas.