What is bone grafting?

Bone Grafting procedures are performed to get the jaw bone to its original form. Destruction of bone levels in the jaw occur for multiple reasons, such as after a tooth extraction many years ago, periodontal disease or trauma. Bone grafting material may also be used immediately following a tooth extraction to preserve the socket for future implant placement. The type of bone graft is determined by the amount of bone loss. Although bone grafting is an extensive surgical procedure, it plays a very important role in replacing missing teeth with a dental implant.

Why worry about bone levels prior to placing an implant?

It is important to have strong, healthy bone to support a dental implant. If you have had a missing tooth for quite some time this could cause inadequate bone levels, where not enough bone is present to support a dental implant. If you have experienced oral conditions such as periodontal disease or trauma this could be a reason for insufficient bone levels as well.  In order for the dental implant to have the best outcome it is very important to make sure you have enough bone structure to strongly support the implant. This is something our Oral Surgeon would determine with a 3D x-ray to properly measure the bone levels and once he determines you need bone grafting he will discuss that with you in your consultation.

What types of bone grafting does our Oral Surgeon do?

The Oral Surgeon will choose the appropriate type of bone grafting to best suit the patient depending on how much bone structure has been lost and what type of outcome the patient is trying to achieve. Bone grafting could be done if you want to support a dental implant for ridge augmentation or because you had an infection that has resulted in bone loss. For smaller cases of bone grafting the procedure can be done as an in office procedure under local anesthesia using a natural or synthetic bone material obtained from a bone bank. For larger procedures of bone grafting the Oral Surgeon may opt to take bone from the patient getting the bone grafting done. He may choose to take from the hip or knee. This procedure would be performed in a hospital setting under General Anesthesia.

What is the healing time after bone grafting?

It is important to allow the bone graft to heal over for a few months. Over this healing time the missing bone is filled in with the new bone. The new bone that was placed contains proteins and collagens that also stimulate bone growth helping to fill in the missing bone.  It can take up to four to six months for the bone graft to heal completely; as the new bone grows it completely replaces the bone graft material. Sometimes before placing the dental implant the Oral Surgeon will request another 3D x-ray to properly measure the bone levels and make sure that there is enough bone structure to now strongly support a dental implant in the jawbone.