Bone Grafting

Major & Minor Bone Grafting

Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for placement of dental implants.

Today, we have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, but it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

Socket Preservation grafting

When a tooth is removed the defect that remains is called a tooth socket.  This defect over time will fill with a blood clot and eventually bone.  The socket will lose bone in the vertical and the horizontal dimensions if it is not filled with a bone graft.  This graft will allow an implant to be placed in a more rapid time frame than if the socket were to be allowed to heal without the graft.  The loss of the bone width and height if not grafted could change the opportunity for an implant to be placed.

Major Bone Grafting

Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. The bone is either obtained from a tissue bank or your own bone is taken from the jaw, hip or tibia (below the knee). The bone may be mixed or covered with a substance called Bone Morphogenic Protein which is a chemical mediator of bone generation. It enhances the body’s natural ability to build new bone in areas that need to be supplemented. Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.