Bone Grafting Dental Implants
Whenever an individual loses a tooth, which could be for a number of reasons, a dental implant is often recommended by the dentist as a safe and long-term solution to maintain bone and jaw structure. A dental implant must only be performed by a certified dental implant surgeon. The implant is made in order to hold the place of the lost tooth so it acts as a bridge. It is designed to function and look like a natural tooth. If your dentist recommends that you undergo this procedure, it will typically come with another procedure – bone grafting.
Bone grafting is a necessary procedure to make it easy to insert the dental implant and keep the structure intact. However, a lot of people are new to this procedure. Whether you have heard about it before or just found out about it for the first time, it is important to be informed before you undergo this procedure.
What Does Bone Grafting for Dental Implants Entail?
Bone grafting for dental implants traditionally involves removing a piece of bone from the jaw or other parts of the patient’s body. This bone will be transplanted to your jawbone.
There are other alternative ways to source the bone used for this procedure including animal or cadaver sources. This procedure is used in order to improve the patient’s morbidity rate and to prevent another surgical site. The transplanted bone might take several months before it can promote new bone growth that would support the newly placed dental implant.
After the jawbone has completely healed, the dental implant can proceed. During the dental implant, titanium posts are placed into the jawbone. The dental implant itself can also take months to heal completely.
Once the healing process is done, the board-certified periodontist will insert an abutment into the jaw. More healing time is required to allow the soft tissues to adjust to the insertion of the metal post. When everything is healed, the final molding of the teeth and jaw can be performed so that you can replace the missing tooth.
When is Bone Grafting Necessary?
Bone grafting is a procedure recommended when there is insufficient amount of healthy natural bone to support the dental implant in the patient’s mouth. There are numerous factors that can lead to deficiency in natural bones such as the following:
- Gum disease
- Trauma or facial injury
- Developmental defects
- Osteoporosis
- Gingivitis
- Space between teeth upon removal
- Cancer
The presence of bones to support the implant is crucial to the success of the procedure. Therefore, bone grafting is required to allow the bones to repair or rebuild.
Who Needs to Undergo Bone Grafting for Dental Implants?
Anyone might require bone grafting if any of the above conditions apply to your case. In addition, anyone who has lost a tooth could develop problems in terms of the vitality of the bone that would support the dental implant.
Another factor that could qualify for bone grafting is when the tooth socket becomes infected. But in most cases, the empty space left behind by the lost tooth is not the same size as the replacement. In this case, grafting is required to ensure that the implant and the replacement tooth are stable enough.
The longer you spend with a missing tooth that is not replaced, the more bone loss occurs. Dentists recommend that you come in for bone grafting for dental implants to remedy this problem.
What to Expect
Bone grafting for dental implants is a time-consuming process. However, it is necessary to increase the rate of success of a dental implant.
Patients can typically expect some discomfort following the procedure. The extent of the pain will vary from one person to another and based on one’s own pain threshold. If you experience pain, your dentist might prescribe medications to help with pain management.
The following are common side effects that you can expect following a bone grafting procedure:
- Swelling in the gums or skin
- Bruising
- Minor bleeding
When any of the above symptoms appear, there is nothing to worry about as they will dissipate quickly. If you experience any side effects other than the ones listed above, it is best to consult your doctor to make sure that they are normal and there are no complications.
You will also undergo certain diet restrictions while your bone graft heals. For example, you must only eat soft foods during this time. This diet restriction applies to every stage of the bone grafting and dental implant procedure.
Why Trust Only a Board-Certified Periodontist
Bone grafting and dental implant surgery should be performed by a board-certified periodontist and dental implant surgeon. This is a complicated surgery that requires a lot of skill, knowledge, and experience. There are multiple stages involved in this procedure and it is absolutely necessary that each stage is executed perfectly to ensure that you get the best results and restore your tooth health.
You can get that confidence only by choosing a board-certified periodontist and dental implant surgeon. A lot of people try to save money by seeing a family dentist for this procedure. However, this can be more costly in the long run, especially if you have to repeat the procedure or certain complications develop as a result of the lack of experience.
If you would like to learn if a bone graft is an option for you, feel free to talk to us. Choosing to undergo this procedure, along with a dental implant, is a major decision. Make sure you are well-informed before you make the decision so you can determine the most ideal treatment path.
Please do get in touch with us if you want expert advice. At Adelaide Dental, we have a team of board-certified and specialist periodontist and dental surgeons. We have the skills, training, and knowledge you need to be confident about undergoing treatment with us. In addition, our clinic is fully-equipped to handle all kinds of dental procedures and surgeries. You can have peace of mind knowing that you’re in the right hands when it comes to your dental needs.