Bone Grafting
Did You Know…
Bone grafting has been clinically proven to be a safe and effective method of preserving a patient’s bone following tooth extraction.
Over a period of time, the loss of teeth causes the jawbone to atrophy or resorb. Once this occurs, the lack of quality or quantity of bone may make the site unsuitable for placement of dental implants. However, there are procedures which can augment and restore missing bone in order to allow placement of implants.
The following is a list of bone graft procedures:
Socket Preservation Graft
This procedure involves placing bone graft material in the socket at the time of tooth removal. This will maintain the level of bone present, and prevent the collapse of the socket where the tooth was located. A few months later the site should be ready for implant placement
Sinus Lift Procedure
In the upper jaw the maxillary sinus is an air filled space that is located above the posterior teeth. If these teeth are lost the proximity of the sinus may result in insufficient bone available for the placement of implants. The sinus lift procedure involves elevating the maxillary sinus membrane and placing a bone graft onto the sinus floor, thus providing more bone to allow implants to be placed.
Ridge Augmentation
In cases of sever ridge resorption, an autologous bone graft may be placed to increase the ridge height and/or width.
Nerve Repositioning
The inferior alveolar nerve, which gives feeling to the lower lip and chin, may need to be moved in order to make room for placement of dental implants in the lower jaw.
Bone grafting procedures may be performed separately or together, depending upon the needs of each individual. There are several areas of the body from which autologous bone grafts can be taken, including from inside the mouth in the area of the chin, wisdom tooth area of the lower jaw or in the upper jaw behind the last tooth. Patients may select from a variety of anesthesia options for the procedure which can be discussed with the doctor.