When you invest in your oral and overall health with dental implants, you’ll want to give your new smile the best odds for success. Thus, your dentist may recommend you undergo a procedure called a bone graft prior to getting your dental implants. But what is a bone graft, and why might you need one? Here’s what you should know about the benefits of this procedure.
What is a Bone Graft?
A bone graft is a procedure that can help repair a weakened jawbone. This can happen because when you lose a tooth, the jawbone below begins to disintegrate, causing it to become weak and unable to support an implant. This is known as bone resorption.
To rebuild the jaw, your dentist will surgically implant new bone materials which will integrate with the jaw and stimulate new bone growth, which over time will restore its density.
There are two main categories of bone graft:
- Allograft: Bone materials from a human donor.
- Autograft: Bone materials from areas of your own body such as the wrist, pelvis, ribs, chin, or hips.
The Major Types of Bone Grafts
- Socket preservation: Graft material goes directly into the socket immediately following a tooth extraction, preventing it from caving in and maintaining the health of the jawbone until your dental implant surgery.
- Ridge augmentation: This procedure is typically performed on patients who are already missing teeth. It will increase the volume and width of a jawbone that has diminished with time.
- Sinus lift: If you are missing upper teeth, your sinuses can drop down and take over some of the space left by your teeth’s roots. Lifting them back to their correct position allows your dentist to place a bone graft beneath them so that your dental implants do not injure your sinus membrane.
- Periodontal bone graft: If you have advanced gum disease, you could be experiencing jawbone deterioration and may require a periodontal bone graft to strengthen your jawbone.
How Do I Know If I Need a Bone Graft?
While it can be difficult to tell just by looking in the mirror if you have any jawbone deterioration, your dentist will examine your jaw thoroughly at your dental implant consultation. This may include X-rays or a CT scan.
Remember, your dentist will do everything possible to ensure your implant surgery is successful. A bone graft will only be recommended if it is needed to restore your jaw and give your new dental implants the best odds.
About Our Practice
The team at Fromuth & Langlois Dental of Manchester wants every one of our patients to feel like they’re part of the family. We provide one-on-one personalized care that is unique to each individual to help them achieve their oral health goals.
If you’d like dental implants but have been recommended a bone grafting procedure, rest assured you’re in good hands. We team up with local bone grafting specialists to help set up all of our patients for success.
To schedule an appointment, please visit our website or call 603-931-4137.