Facts About Bone Grafting in Dentistry

Most of us think of bones as hard rigid materials. But while they may appear that way, the bone actually has the ability to constantly remodel itself. The body is continually depositing new bone cells and removing old ones. In the case of the jawbone, the chewing forces stimulate bone growth which ensures that the bone tissue is maintained. This is important because jawbone loss which is caused by missing teeth could make you develop complications both in your appearance and overall wellness. You may start to experience pain, difficulty to speak and eat and problems with the remaining teeth in addition to an altered facial appearance.

How Does Bone Grafting Work?

Dental Bone grafting is a necessary periodontal treatment procedure for patients lacking sufficient amount of natural and healthy bone in the mouth. The deficiency of bone could be caused by gum disease, development defects, trauma or tooth loss that is left untreated for a long time. A surgical intervention is applied to repair or rebuild the bone through a transplant of the bone tissue. Healthy bone tissue can be taken from another part of your body, from a human donor, from an animal or a synthetic bone is used. A small incision will be made on the gum to give access to the bone beneath it and then the graft is added.

Once the graft is in place, your dentist may choose to cover it with collagen membranes which will guide the regeneration process. Since the graft consists of mineral like calcium, phosphorous and hydroxyapatite, these will eventually be absorbed into the body and replaced by new bone growth.

While bone grafting uses the same principle irrespective of where on the body it is done, different approaches of the procedure are used in dealing with dental issues. This is usually determined by the extent of bone loss, the location and the need for grafting. For all approaches used, local anesthesia is used and after the procedure it I common for patients to experience mild discomfort or tenderness for a few days. You will also be given some medication to help keep off infection as the area heals and some pain relievers or anti-inflammatories to manage the soreness.

It takes some time for the bone graft to fuse with your natural bone. You will therefore need to visit the dentist at regular intervals, who will monitor your healing progress. Although there is no exact time frame for how long it takes to heal and the graft to fuse, expect it to take anywhere between 3 to 12 months. For patients with missing teeth, once the dentist is sure you are properly healed, you will be scheduled to have dental implants placed.

Uses for Bone Grafts

The dentists in Coppell at Compassion Smiles Dentistry use bone grafting to achieve different treatment goals. The main reasons include;

• To save teeth that have become loose and are at risk of falling out. This is especially helpful to patients of periodontal disease who may suffer bone loss due to the bacterial infection. By grafting the bone around the weak teeth, there is improved support and weak teeth can now stay in place.

• To prevent bone loss after a tooth extraction. This is usually done immediately after a tooth has been removed in order to preserve the bone beneath, should you consider getting dental implants in the future.

• To facilitate tooth restoration using dental implants. When bone loss occurs before you can replace a missing tooth, grafting may be necessary to ensure that the implant successfully embeds into the jawbone. Implants demand for a good amount of bone volume and density for them to be successfully.

To get a clarification on all the myths about dental bone grafting you’ve heard of, visit Compassion Smiles Dentistry. We provide individualized and convenient dental services in a calm and relaxing environment. Our professional and experienced team strives to deliver a pleasant experience during every visit and we have invested in high-tech equipment to ensure effective treatment.