The success of a dental implant surgery hinges on the health of your jawbone. If the jawbone isn’t strong, your dental implants may fail due to a lack of support.
Bone grafting for dental implants may be necessary if your dentist determines you have a thin jawbone that requires additional depth and/or width before you can undergo dental implant surgery.
Why Bone Grafting for Dental Implants is Worthwhile?
A bone graft procedure is a treatment that replaces missing bone, so bone grafting for dental implants can restore your jawbone density and improve your implant support. Although bone grafting for dental implants may seem intimidating, many patients consider it worthwhile because dental implants offer so many advantages:
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Keep Your Facial Structure Intact
Your jawbone is supported by your facial muscles that help maintain an aesthetic appearance. If these tissues decay, your facial structure deteriorates, resulting in signs of ageing.
Dental implants act like natural teeth in that the implant rod stimulates the jawbone, just like a real tooth root. This stimulation prevents bone resorption, keeping the jawbone strong long term.
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Protect Your Existing Teeth
Because of tooth loss, large gaps between your teeth can cause your other teeth to shift and fill the gap, which could lead to discomfort and changes in your smile. Bone grafting is an excellent treatment because it gives a more natural appearance and helps support your dental implants when you are ready for dental implant surgery.
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Minimal Discomfort and Vigilant Safety Measures
With local anaesthetic and sedation, patients are unlikely to feel any discomfort during their surgery.
We understand that with the ongoing pandemic, some patients have heightened anxiety about visiting the dentist. Our staff take every measure possible to ensure the operating area is sanitary and comfortable for patients. We adhere to strict protocols to protect patients from COVID-19, including the placement of hand sanitisers for use around the facility.
All equipment and surfaces are thoroughly disinfected before and after bone grafting procedures for increased protection against infection and disease transmission.
Materials Used for Bone Grafts in Dental Implant Surgery
Bone grafting involves placing bone tissue and a growth matrix alongside your body’s natural tissue to encourage cellular growth. Bone graft tissue can be taken from various sources, including:
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Autograft
Bone is removed from your own body, typically from a site close to the area that needs grafting, such as the back of your jaw or hard palate. However, if there is inadequate tissue in these areas, the dentist may take bone from your hip or shin. An autograft significantly lowers the risk of graft rejection and is the most common type of graft used in dentistry.
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Allograft
Bone tissue is derived from deceased donors, similar to an organ transplant. The dentist ensures the tissue is free from disease or damage, and the tissue goes through several treatments to ensure it is compatible with the patient’s body.
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Xenograft
Xenograft procedures involve tissue taken from an animal, typically a pig or cow, which is processed until only the basic mineral components remain. These types of grafts are exceptionally durable.
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Alloplast
Alloplast grafting refers to synthetic tissue made from hydroxyapatite, which is non-inflammatory and readily accepted by the body.
Types of Bone Grafts Used for Dental Implants
At No Gaps Dental, we perform several types of bone grafting surgeries, including:
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Socket Graft
A socket graft is the most common type of bone graft used for dental implants. Bone tissue is grafted directly into the socket immediately after your tooth has been extracted.
This procedure is suitable for patients with minimal bone degradation. It typically takes between 4 and 6 months for the new tissue to grow over the graft and form a foundation stable enough to support a dental implant.
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Lateral Ridge Preservation
Lateral ridge preservation is used to increase the thickness of the alveolar ridge, located just behind your upper front teeth. The alveolar ridge functions solely to support your teeth, and without the stimulation of a tooth root, the bone quickly reabsorbs into the body, reducing both the height and depth of the bone.
Lateral ridge preservation is performed after an extraction to reduce bone resorption.
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Block Bone Graft
A block bone graft is used for patients with substantial bone loss or individuals with consecutive missing teeth, resulting in large expanses of bone deterioration. Because of the amount of bone tissue required, this procedure usually uses bone harvested from the back of your jaw and held in place with small titanium screws.
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Sinus Lift
You may need a sinus lift if the sinus cavity is too close to the maxillary (upper) arch. An incision is made in the sinus membrane, and a graft is placed inside to increase the thickness of the cavity so it can support an implant post. Sinus lift surgery requires 8-12 months of recovery before your implant placement.
How Bone Grafting Works?
To determine if a bone graft is appropriate, your dentist measures the depth of your bone, locates where the bone graft will be placed, and assesses the size of the graft required. Choosing the right bone graft material is easier with this information.
Your dentist will review what the bone graft procedure entails and what you can do to help recover afterwards.
Depending on the type of bone graft you receive, at No Gaps Dental, we are committed to ensuring your bone graft procedure is as simple as possible. We use today’s most advanced anaesthetic techniques combined with a gentle dentistry approach, so the experience is pleasant for you.
We follow the Dental Board of Australia’s infection guidelines to ensure our clinic has hospital-level cleanliness.
With every patient visit, we use hand sanitisers and other cleaners to ensure patient safety.
What to Expect After a Bone Graft Procedure?
After your bone graft procedure, you may experience some discomfort, for which your dentist can prescribe antibiotics or other medication. These help you in your post-surgery recovery and in preventing infection. Depending on the size of your bone graft, the healing process may take several months before your dentist can move forward with dental implant surgery and place dental implants.
You can follow your regular oral hygiene practices such as brushing and flossing twice a day or after eating. If you are a smoker, it is important to limit how frequently you practice this habit. Smoking may inhibit the healing of your bone graft. Your dentist can recommend a post-procedure aftercare plan to help keep your mouth healthy.
Contact No Gaps Dental to Restore Your Smile
Dental implants are the best choice for long-lasting oral health. We can assess whether you need bone grafting for dental implants when you contact us today. Our clinic and dental staff follow all standards for healthcare and COVID-19 safety, including access to hand sanitisers throughout the building. Call us on (02) 8806 0227 to arrange an appointment with one of our dentists to find out if you require a bone graft before receiving dental implants.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.