Bone Grafting 101: A Guide to Dental Bone Grafting

Tooth decay is getting common with time. The eating habits are the major reason and sometimes an unhygienic oral routine is a factor. Any infection in the gums or tooth decay requires cleaning. This cleaning method is usually called root canal treatment. What if the root canal treatment is not enough? Some severe cases require dental implants. People often do not get any implants because the dentist recommends some surgery.

Implanting a tooth sounds easy but it requires some space. Many people do not have sufficient jaw space which means the implant is not possible. To make sure your look stays attractive and spaces between teeth do not ruin it, implant dentistry introduced bone grafting. Everything about bone grafting has been discussed below. Find out answers to all your questions by giving this blog a quick read.

What is Bone Grafting?

Bone grafting is the procedure to correct any deformities in the jaw bone after tooth removal. In addition, this technique generates space on the jaw for implants. Any artificial piece or pieces from other bone are used to build space on the surgical site.

The Reasons for Less Jaw Space

There are some reasons that the jaw does not have sufficient space. Here are a few of those reasons.

Chronic Gingivitis

The gum infections that seem nothing to you have several drastic effects. One of those effects is the reduction of the jawbone. You might feel like treating it once it spreads but the jaw space reduces. The longer your infection stays, the more threat your jaw has.

Accidents

Some accidents or jerks also result in shrinking of jaw space. Implants are impossible in such regions.

Do Not Wear Dentures for Longer Periods

The gums and jaws support the removable dentures. If you wear them for longer periods, the jaw space will gradually reduce. Excessive pressure on jaw reduces the jaw.

Spaces Are Tolerated for a Long Time

Get an implant as soon as the dentist removes your tooth. If you leave the space idle, the jaw space will reduce with time.

The Different Types of Bone Grafting Procedures

The bone grafting in Plano is not restricted to just one procedure. It is an implant dentistry method and has several other types as well. It can be performed in multiple manners and some of them are listed here.

If the bone has a knife-like edge and needs lateral expansion, bone grafting is termed as ‘width increase’ grafting. If there is a problem with the height of the remaining bone then ‘height increase’ bone grafting is performed.

A sinus lift is another manner to perform bone grafting. It is used to lift the maxillary bone for better placement of the implant. Other procedures are expensive and used for bigger bone problems. One of them is bone augmentation for shifting the lower alveolar nerve.

The other method is a micro-vascular graft that is used to improve blood flow in the grafted area.

The Process of Bone Grafting

The following steps are included in dental bone grafting in Plano, TX.

The dentist will conduct some tests and discuss medical history. In this session, you will be informed about the procedure. The donor and recipient sites will be analyzed. The type of grafting material will be decided as well.

Now everything has been discussed and finalized. This is the surgical step where the dentist will take part in a bone from the most appropriate body part and surgically implant it in the recipient site.

You will be allowed to heal properly. Once you have healed and the surgery site does not hurt, the tooth will be implanted as planned. Do not rush into healing the grafted area. It may take months for you to heal. It all depends upon your lifestyle and various other factors.

Material Used in Bone Grafting

Here is a list of different materials that are used in bone grafting.

Autograft: Bone from the patient’s body is used to make sure the graft is not rejected.

Allograft: Another person donates a bone for the graft.

Xenograft: Other sources like bovine are used as donors.

Other materials also include cadaveric and synthetic materials.

Our dentists at Lutke Dental can provide the right grafting manner. We strictly analyze the patient’s oral hygiene and use accurate material and method for dental bone grafting. Contact us today to know more about bone grafting or to schedule an appointment.