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Although bone grafting is a surgical procedure which can sometimes be rather extensive, it plays a very important role in making new teeth possible.  In the not so distant past, patients without adequate bone height or width for tooth replacement with dental implants were simply told they couldn’t have implants.  These people didn’t want to wear dentures or go toothless forever.  The art and science of implant dentistry has brought us these highly specialized and successful techniques in order to restore what was lost and make it possible to have a beautiful smile. 

 

When the patient has bone deficiencies the doctor can use bone (the patients, or synthetic) to graft the ares of need in order to create a more substantial and solid surface to place Implants at a later date.

There are four types of bone in the human face and the length of treatment for placing and restoring implants depends on which type of bone the implant is placed in, Implants need to integrate with the surrounding bone before the treatment can be completed.

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Type I bone is comparable to oak wood, which is very hard and dense. 5 months integration

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Type II bone is comparable to pine wood, which isn't as hard as type I. This type of bone usually takes 4 months to integrate with an implant.

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Type III bone is like balsa wood, which isn't as dense as type II. Since the density isn't as great as type II, it takes more time to "fill in" and integrate with an implant. 6 months

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Type IV bone is comparable to styrofoam, which is the least dense of all of the bone

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It is very important to remember that the correct procedures that are applied and time invested will be creating the best possible environment for the successful placement of your Dental Implants.

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When teeth are lost, the bone that used to surround them begins to melt away or “resorb.” Tooth-supporting bone can also be lost when you have periodontal (gum) disease. If you lose enough teeth and bone, your facial features will sag, giving you a more aged appearance; it can also complicate treatment to replace your missing teeth. Fortunately, with modern bone grafting-techniques, the bone that has been lost can be built up again. This can benefit both your health and appearance by strengthening your jawbone, allowing more effective tooth replacement, and increasing support to your facial features.

Bone grafting is a minor surgical procedure that is normally done in a dental office. An incision is made in your gum to gain access to the bone beneath it, and then grafting material is added. Most often, the grafting material is processed bone minerals around which your body will actually deposit new bone cells.

The grafting material itself can come from your own body, but very often it is bone from an animal or human donor that has been treated by a laboratory to make it sterile and safe. It can even be a synthetic substance. Grafting material comes in a variety of forms: powder, granules, putty or a gel that can be injected through a syringe. The graft, which is generally covered by a collagen membrane for optimum bone repair, will act as a scaffold onto which your body will build new bone.

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What are the Uses for Bone Grafts in dentistry 

 

Bone grafts are used in dentistry to accomplish the following treatment goals:

• Saving Teeth — When severe periodontal disease causes bone loss, teeth can become loose and at risk of being lost. In order to save them, the bone around them can be regenerated through grafting; this increases bone support and helps keep them in place.

• Tooth Extractions — These days, it is very common to deposit bone grafting material into a tooth socket after a tooth has been removed. That way, should you want to replace your tooth with a dental implant later on, that option will be available.

• Dental Implants — In this optimal tooth-replacement system, a small titanium post embedded in the jawbone is attached to a highly realistic dental crown, permanently replacing the missing tooth. Implants require good bone volume and density to achieve their excellent functionality and high success rates. If you have already experienced bone loss, a graft can help regenerate enough bone to place the implant successfully.

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Your bone graft is typically particulate bone and is similar consistency to sand. It is common that you may feel some small granules in your mouth a couple of days post surgery. This is a normal feeling and nothing to be alarmed about,.

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• Do not disturb or touch the surgical site with fingers or tongue

• Avoid spitting for 2 days to allow blood clot and graft material stabilization.

• Do not constantly lift or pull on the your lip to look at the sutures. This can actually cause damage to the wound, dislodge the membrane, or tear the sutures.

• Do not smoke 

• Take any medications / antibiotics provided

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