Bone loss in the jawbone can occur from facial trauma, missing teeth, or disease. Over time, bone loss and resorption can weaken the jaw bone, affect the health of neighboring teeth, and cause deformity. Furthermore, dental implants cannot be successful without adequate healthy bone. Bone grafting allows us to add bone tissue to the jawbone to reconstruct its proper structure and volume.
Bone Grafting
What is a bone graft?
A bone graft involves placing granulated material or a block of bone in a specific area of a bone to restore bone volume. In oral surgery, bone grafting rebuilds bone in the jaw and is a common first step for many dental implant patients.
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When a tooth is missing and is not replaced, the loss does not stop at the tooth. Over time, bone around the area of that tooth deteriorates. While many patients with varying degrees of bone loss are candidates for dental implants, those with insufficient bone may require a bone graft to rebuild the lost bone and successfully support an implant.
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During your consultation, a thorough assessment of your bone quality and facial structure will be made via an oral evaluation and the use of 3D imaging.
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The bone grafting material used can be allogenic bone (processed donor bone), autogenous bone (bone harvested from your own body), xenogenic bone (bone from another species, usually a cow), or synthetic. There are pros and cons to each, all of which can be discussed further during your consultation.
Types of Bone Grafting Procedures
Below are the most common types of bone grafting procedures. The procedure that is right for you will depend on your treatment goals and the amount of bone loss that has occurred. Dr. Sonstegard is experienced with all types of bone grafting procedures and will help determine what is right for you.
Sinus Lift
In this procedure, bone graft is placed within the sinus cavity, which is located above the roots of the upper back teeth. Since this bone naturally tends to be very thin, extra bone volume and height may be required to allow for dental implants.
Socket Preservation
When a tooth is extracted, the surrounding bone and gums can recede quickly and lead to deformity. In this procedure, bone graft is placed immediately after an extraction to prevent rapid bone loss from occurring. Socket preservation can help prevent deformity and improve the chances of a successful dental implant.
Ridge Augmentation
The alveolar ridge is the bone that supports the upper and lower arches of teeth. In this procedure, bone graft is placed to an area that has severely decreased in height and width, allowing restoration to the natural and original contour of your jaw bone in order to support dental implants.
There are three main choices for anesthesia:
Local Anesthesia
Nitrous Oxide
IV Sedation
Local Anesthesia provides numbness directly to where it is administered, so feelings of pain are eliminated. It does not affect consciousness, so the patient remains awake.
Otherwise known as "laughing gas," nitrous oxide is a mild gas that is inhaled with oxygen to alleviate feelings of anxiety. It does not cause loss of consciousness and is paired with local anesthesia for your comfort.
This type of anesthesia is administered directly into the patient's vein. Amnesia (forgetfulness) is a common side effect of the medication and most patients who receive IV sedation do not remember their procedure.