Dental implants offer a permanent solution for replacing lost or missing teeth, but because they require a specific quantity of healthy bone to support them, some patients must undergo a bone graft before proceeding. Let's look at what's necessary if you need a bone graft to place dental implants.
What Is a Bone Graft?
A dental graft is a surgery that involves increasing the density or width of your jawbone. It may also be used if the underlying jawbone is deemed too soft to sustain a dental implant. Biting and chewing put a lot of pressure on your teeth, and dental implants are unlikely to last if there isn't enough jaw bone to support them.
After the dental implants have been surgically implanted in your jaw, you will need to wait for osseointegration to occur. Osseointegration occurs when your jawbone grows around and integrates the dental implant.
Before placing a dental implant, your dentist should assess the thickness of your jaw bone and if the bone is wide enough. If the bone is insufficient to support a dental implant and you meet all of the other qualifying criteria, your dentist will prescribe a bone graft.
What Are My Bone Graft Options for Dental Implants?
There are several approaches to bone grafting for dental implants, and the option advised for you will depend on how long ago you lost your tooth and how much your jaw bone has deteriorated since then. To identify the best course of action, speak with your dentist, who will examine the state of your jawbone.
If your injured tooth is still there
If your tooth has not yet been extracted, a small graft can be performed following the operation or prior to the implantation of your dental implant. During this treatment, your dentist will perform a basic graft by injecting bone granules into your tooth socket and sewing it closed.
If you lost a tooth some years ago
If you have lost a tooth in the past several years, you are likely to have undergone bone loss, necessitating a more sophisticated bone graft treatment before you can receive dental implants. Your dentist will create an incision where the tooth was lost and introduce bone granules to rebuild the area. It is possible to use your own bone for this treatment, which your dentist can take from the area near your wisdom teeth.
If your tooth was gone years ago
If you lost your tooth many years ago or have been wearing dentures, you are likely to have severe bone loss and will require a big graft. To accomplish this, your dentist may insert a huge chunk of your own bone, possibly from another region of your body. You may also require more bone granules to bulk up the jaw before having a dental implant installed.
Major bone grafts require time to complete. You will need to go through a healing and recuperation period that could last up to three months after your bone grafting treatment before your dental implants can be installed.
What Materials Can Be Used for Bone Grafting in Dental Implants?
To accelerate the growth of new jaw bone, both natural bone from various regions of your body and synthetic materials such as bone substitutes can be used. If the patient does not want to have a second surgical location to remove the bone, bone can sometimes be obtained from cadavers or animals. Your dentist will discuss your dental implant grafting choices as part of your treatment plan.
Not everyone who needs a dental implant will require bone grafting. Bone augmentation is required only when the jawbone is insufficiently robust or thick to accommodate dental implants. This usually happens when a tooth has been absent for a long time. If you are concerned that you will need a bone graft for dental implants, the only way to be sure is to talk with a specialist.
