What Is Bone Grafting for Dental Implants?
When you want to replace missing teeth, dental implants are an excellent choice. You need to meet certain requirements to be considered a good candidate, including having enough jawbone to support implants. Bone grafts increase the available jawbone for the implant procedure. Here’s what you need to know about bone grafting.
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Why Bone Grafting Occurs
Bone grafting adds necessary bone tissue to your jaw, so that dental implants will stay in place. Dental implants are placed inside your jawbone, where they fuse to the surrounding tissue. This helps them act as anchors that hold replacement teeth securely. When you consider dental implants to replace missing teeth, your dentist checks your jawbone to make sure you have enough available for the procedure.
If you don’t have enough or if it’s not firm enough, you might need a bone graft before getting dental implants. This procedure helps ensure that you have plenty of strong and healthy bone tissue to support them. Although dental implants are durable, they need to be able to handle a lot of pressure, such as when you’re chewing food.
Bone grafting procedures are done for other dental issues as well. For example, bone grafts occur after tooth extractions or to save teeth that become loose from periodontal disease. Putting grafting material into the socket after an extraction makes it easier to get a dental implants later. Grafts used to save teeth help improve the amount of bone support around loosened teeth, which helps reduce the risk of losing them.
Types of Bone Graft Materials
Bone grafting doesn’t always involve using natural bone tissue. Synthetic bone grafts made of bone-substitute material are sometimes used. If you have natural bone tissue for grafts, this might come from a different part of your body. In this case, you’ll have bone material removed from one area of the body and added to your jawbone. Your dentist will provide options for available bone graft materials and recommend the best type for you.
What to Expect from Bone Grafting
If you need to have a bone graft, knowing more about this procedure can ease your mind. The amount added depends on how much healthy bone tissue you need for dental implants. If you only need a small amount of bone grafting, you might be able to have this procedure done along with your dental implant surgery. However, more complex bone grafts may require a separate procedure. In these cases, the length of time it takes for the new bone to produce enough bone material increases.
Bone grafts usually involve local anesthesia, although you might also be able to use dental sedation to help you feel more relaxed. Placing the graft in your jawbone typically involves a small incision in your gums. You may have some soreness after this is done, but you can usually take over-the-counter pain medication for it. The soreness should only last for a couple of days after the procedure.
Bone Grafting Safety
Bone grafting is a safe procedure as long as it’s done properly by a dentist with the right training. The risks with this type of procedure are minimal. Your dentist will take steps to prevent risks, such as prescribing antibiotics to lower the risk of infection. Make sure you follow your dentist’s instructions after your bone graft procedure, especially with regard to caring for the affected area. When your grafts produce enough bone, you’ll be able to have your dental implants placed inside your jawbone.
Conclusion
If you need a dentist who specializes in dental implants in Mesa or Phoenix, contact Dental Brothers. We can help you regain a smile you’ll love and walk you through the procedure and your options. If a bone graft is needed, we’ll let you know and help you through every step of the process.
