What Are Dental Bone Grafts?
When a patient has lost a significant amount of bone density, it can be difficult for them to get dental implants.
Dental implants are the best solution for replacing missing teeth, but they require sufficient healthy bone in order to support the implant and the success of the treatment. If you don’t have enough natural bone in your mouth, you may need to undergo a procedure called “bone grafting” before getting dental implants.
A dental bone graft is a procedure used to add volume and density to the jaw area where the bone loss occurred. It also promotes new bone growth. Gateways Dental Centre offers safe and effective dental bone grafting procedures that will allow patients with insufficient jawbone volume or quality to receive their dental implants as soon as possible!
Common Dental Problems that Bone Grafts Can Fix
1.) Prevents bone atrophy
Typically, alveolar bone atrophy develops within the first three years of tooth loss or extraction. This causes a deformity that might hinder you from chewing your food properly, speaking properly, having muscular dysfunction, and even experiencing discomfort in your mouth. A dental bone graft is used to support your prosthetic replacement, which can be beneficial for the success of restoring your new smile.
2.) Improve the use of implants and other dental appliances
Dental implants can improve your appearance by restoring your missing teeth. A bone graft is necessary to provide support for these implant posts to be successful, giving you a new set of beautiful teeth.
Other dental appliances such as crowns, implants, dentures, and bridges can also benefit from bone grafts. In the long run, this will increase the function of each dental appliance.
3.) Give support to the jawbone and facial structures
Bone grafting is also done by dentists to support various facial bones and structures in order to improve your overall appearance. As a result, you can leave our dental office with improved confidence!
4.) It saves the remaining teeth
Teeth may become loose if there has been significant bone loss as a result of severe gum disease. Dental professionals suggests bone grafting to repair the surrounding bones in order to save them.
The Benefits of Dental Bone Grafts
- Bone loss
Those whose appearance has been compromised by bone loss are also candidates for dental bone grafts. Loss of jaw bone mass might make the face appear shorter than it used to be.
If bone mass is lost, the lower jawbone may appear to protrude forward. Lips and muscles around them can alter their appearance if there isn’t a healthy bone structure beneath them. The skin around the jawline may appear more wrinkled. Bone loss is caused by several factors, including tooth extraction, tooth loss, gum disease, etc.
- Gum disease or periodontal
Periodontitis is caused by the accumulation of plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) over time.
The gums become inflamed and begin to separate from the teeth, resulting in deep “periodontal pockets” beneath the gum line. Plaque and tartar develop in these pockets over time.
If you do not have your teeth professionally cleaned, the condition will eventually cause soft tissue and bone loss. Your body does not produce new bone cells on its own. At this point, the only effective treatment option is a bone graft.
- Missing teeth (for dental implants)
People who are getting dental implants to replace missing teeth are often candidates for dental bone grafts.
These implants are artificial roots shaped like screws that are implanted in the jawbone. A crown that matches the surrounding teeth is then placed on the implant.
Typically, bone grafting is required to provide a strong, adequate foundation for an implant.
Frequently Asked Questions About Implant-Retained Dentures
How does bone grafting work?
A bone graft provides space for your body to repair itself once it has been attached. Dental grafts function as scaffolds for growing and regenerating your own bone tissue.
A dental bone graft may be combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in some circumstances. It is extracted from a sample of your own blood and is used to heal and regenerate tissues.
Does Everyone Need Bone Grafting Procedure?
A dental bone graft is usually needed for someone who has bone loss in their jaw. This technique may be advised in cases when:
- People who will undergo tooth extraction.
- If planning to receive dental implants to replace damaged or missing teeth.
- It is necessary to rebuild the jaw before getting dentures.
- Gum (periodontal) disease has caused bone loss in some areas.
How is bone grafting performed?
- A local anaesthetic is used to numb the areas when bone grafts are performed. If you have anxiety about dental procedures, we can also use sedative techniques.
- The dentist will clean the affected area. Then, during the surgery, your dentist will separate the gum from the bone where the graft will be placed by making a small incision.
- As the surgeon inserts the bone material, it is placed between two sections of bone that need to grow together.
- In some cases, bone grafts are secured with dissolvable adhesive or membrane, and in others, with special screws.
- A suture is then applied to close the incision and begin healing.
- After the procedure, we will give you antibiotics and pain relievers. To avoid placing pressure on the bone transplant, we also recommend that you use antimicrobial mouthwash and avoid specific foods.
How long does bone grafting take to heal?
You may feel better within a week or two following the minor surgery. But the complete recovery period of dental bone grafts can take three to nine months, or even longer in some cases. Recovery timeframes are affected by a variety of factors, including the type of graft used, the location of the graft, and your body’s ability to heal.
Possible Risks of Bone Grafts
You may expect to feel some pain and discomfort after the procedure, which is a normal reaction for your body. Other common side effects include mild bleeding and trouble chewing and speaking for the first several days.
Dental bone grafts may have possible risks associated with them, which include:
- Anesthesia during the procedure causes a negative reaction.
- Inflammation, pain, or swelling around the donor and graft sites.
- Infection risk or bleeding.
- Injuries may affect your nerves.
- The bone graft may be rejected by your body.
- The graft may be reabsorbed by your body.
Who performs bone grafting procedures?
The type of dentist that will perform your dental bone graft treatment is determined by several factors, including the type of bone grafts and the complexity of the surgery. Oral surgeons often perform dental bone grafts.
When is a dental implant inserted after a bone graft?
A healing period within four to six months is necessary to wait before placing the dental implants. However, depending on the case and technique, the dental implant and bone transplant can be implanted at the same time. This saves between three and six months of healing time.
Can Bone Grafts Fail?
It is well known that dental bone grafts are highly successful. As with any procedure, failure is possible, especially among smokers and people with certain medical conditions. At Gateways Dental Centre, we perform a thorough oral examination and other steps to determine risks factors that can affect the recovery time. This is done prior to the bone graft surgery to avoid or minimize possible risks. Our primary goal for each dental procedure is to improve your oral health.
Signs of Bone Graft Failure
- Swelling or pain that gets worse after the first week.
- A pus or drainage may be seen at the bone graft site.
- The gums recede away from the crown of the teeth (gum recession).
- Jawbone volume did not improve.
