Bone Grafting
Bone grafting is a surgical treatment where bone is taken from various sources to replace bone tissue that has inadequate bone volume. Dental implants are an excellent option for replacing missing teeth. Many patients who have lost teeth, however, have also experienced bone loss in their jaw. Because dental implants use metal posts implanted into the jawbone, it is important for the jaw to be strong. Bone grafting has helped many patients become candidates for dental implants when they were previously ineligible.
Many sources of bone graft material exist and these may be obtained from your own body (autograft), from another human being (allograft), from an animal (xenograft), or from a synthetic material (alloplast).
The source of bone graft depends on your specific situation. An autograft can be harvested from various parts of your body and the anatomic site selected depends on the type and volume of bone required for your situation. Various anatomical sites can be harvested, however, this is case and patient dependent.
There are many times that if a tooth is to be extracted, a socket preservation may be recommended in order to decrease the chances of bone resorption (loss). This will allow for the implant to be placed several months later without having to have recourse to furthermore extensive bone grafting. However, there are times where more bone grating prior to implant placement may be necessary.
If you would like to learn more about bone grafting, please contact our office for your expert assessment. Our surgical team is excited to help discuss your options and utilize bone grafting to transform your smile.