At some point, you have probably heard about the existence of dental implants even if you don’t know what the procedure involves in great detail. Bone grafting and dental implants go together very often in the dental industry. It is advised that you see a dentist and know if you have to undergo a bone grafting procedure. This way, you can have sufficient bone in the mouth and prevent various oral problems.
If you need to perform dental implants, you will be informed during the consultation that bone grafting for dental implant surgery is necessary. It is quite obvious for you to feel scared as bone grafting sounds scary. Luckily, this is not a procedure that should scare you. This dental routine is predictable and involves minimal pain.
Bone grafting is a method needed when a patient does not have sufficient natural bone in the mouth for supporting the implants. The lack of natural bone may occur due to:
A bone graft is a surgical process to rebuild or repair bones through the transplantation of bone tissue. By transplanting healthy bone tissue, you can form bone and supporting tissues that had been missing.
If you have lost a tooth, then you might need a bone graft before placing a dental implant. This is true when you visit the clinic for performing an implant the day after losing the tooth. The socket could be infected or the lost tooth might be of the wrong size for supporting an immediate replacement. Most people will not come for an implant on the same day they lose their tooth.
The type of bone that can cause trouble is called alveolar bone and this bone holds and supports your tooth firmly. If you do not have a tooth in place, then the alveolar bone begins to atrophy due to lack of work. Besides that, the jawbone is made and strengthened every time you need to chew. Alveolar bone loss may be the reason for jawbone loss too.
Implants depend on osseointegration to work properly and the implant should be bonded together with the bone for forming a stable foundation for the crown. If there is no bone to work, then placing an implant is almost impossible.
The most common type of bone graft is known as a socket graft. The main purpose is to prevent the atrophy of alveolar bone before it may take place. The bone is placed right into the socket that prevents further collapse of this socket. After a socket graft, you will get ready for the implant within 4 to 6 months. Thus, one of these grafts can reduce the pain caused by the surgery.
The next kind of bone graft is known as a lateral ridge preservation graft. These grafts can be used to increase the width of the jawbone for accommodating an implant. Human donor bones are used for this bone graft too.
The block bone graft is another kind of graft used these days. The block bone graft is needed when there are large defects in the jawbone. If you need to undergo block bone graft, then a small block of bone is generally harvested from the back of the jaw.
The block is placed into the defect and is held in place by small titanium screws. Both the lateral ridge preservation graft and the block bone procedure usually require 4 to 6 months to heal completely.
Finally, there is the sinus lift procedure that uses the equine bone to expand the graft. This equine bone might be added to a human donor’s bone. The method is required when the patient needs to undergo an implant in the upper jaw which is not stable for holding the implants.
Due to the composition of the sinus cavity, the healing process usually requires 8 to 12 months.
Bone grafts are the process where patients get sedated and you should not feel any kind of pain when the grafts heal. However, when the graft is already done, you are ready for dental implants. A bone graft is the first step most people take before they have their newly replaced tooth.
Once the procedure is done, you will be provided with antibiotics that will protect you from any infections. There are certain cases when pain medication is provided too. Patients who get bone grafts do not suffer from much pain when they take antibiotics.
Your dentist will wait for the bone graft to fuse properly with the natural bones that are in the mouth. Since everyone has their unique mouth, there isn’t any time frame for how soon this can take place.
It is quite common to take from three months to almost a year for a bone graft to fuse completely with the natural bones inside your mouth. You need to come for routine checkups till your dentist informs you that you can undergo an implant procedure.
The suitable way to know if you require a dental bone graft is to fix an initial consultation appointment with the dentist prior to undergo dental implants in London. This way, you will be able to find out if you need one and the kind of bone graft that your case requires.
Bone grafting and its continuous advancements promote new growth of bones for getting the most optimum result. Hence, grafting can actually bring newer opportunities for better functioning of your mouth and a more attractive smile.
