Why You Might Need Dental Bone Grafting
When you need a dental implant or are considering another major dental procedure, the bone in your jaw must be strong enough to support it. So, if you’ve lost a significant amount of bone in your jaw, your dentist may recommend dental bone grafting — a procedure that can help repair the bone structure.
Find out what, exactly, dental bone grafting is and if it might be a good option for you.
What is Dental Bone Grafting?
A dental bone graft is a surgical procedure that transplants bone tissue to the jawbone. There are four different types of bone grafts:
- Autografts use bone taken from another area of your body
- Allografts use bone from a cadaver
- Xenografts use bone from another species, such as a cow or pig
- Alloplasts use bone substitute made in a lab
The bone graft fills the jaw where bone is missing and enhances the growth and healing process.
What Happens During a Tooth Bone Graft Procedure?
During the surgery, which takes less than an hour, your dentist will:
- Numb the surrounding gum tissue, so you don’t feel any pain.
- Make an incision in your gums near the missing bone.
- Clean and disinfect the area.
- Insert the bone or synthetic material between two sections of bone that need to grow together.
- Cover it with a membrane to protect it.
After the procedure, we’ll stitch up the area and send you home to recover.
Most people who undergo dental bone grafting through allografts, xenografts, or alloplasts say they experience little to no pain. However, if you have bone taken from another part of your body, the recovery may take a little longer.
When is a Dental Bone Graft Necessary?
There are a number of dental situations that require a bone graft. Come of the most common include:
Needing an implant to replace a missing tooth.
Before an implant is placed, you may need a bone graft to provide a strong enough base for it in your jaw.
Wanting an improved appearance.
When you lose bone mass in your jaw, your face can look shorter, and your lower jawbone can look like it’s jutting forward, causing your lips and the muscles around them to change appearance. You are more likely to experience bone loss in your jaw as you age, but it may also happen if you have an injury to your jaw or a major infection.
Protecting yourself from additional bone loss.
When we stabilize the jaw with a bone graft, we can prevent additional bone loss. Left untreated, gum disease can lead to more dental problems and heart disease.
Dental Bone Grafting at Eastridge Family Dental
We know that a major dental procedure can be frightening, which is why we walk you through all the steps of dental bone grafting. To learn more about how you can prevent bone loss in your jaw, contact us.