Bone grafting is a common procedure prior to having your dental implants placed. While bone grafting does not just exist for the sake of dental implant procedures, they tend to go hand in hand. When patients are suffering from missing teeth and don’t seek dental treatment immediately, the density of the jawbone begins to whither. At this point, your jawbone will need to be repaired for a permanent procedure, like dental implants. Many patients do not realize lack of teeth will cause other oral issues, but it is important to complete bone grafting if you’re looking for a teeth solution.
Bone grafting is when your doctor takes a piece of bone and places it in the jaw to create a stronger structure. When the bone is placed, the patient will go through a healing period where the bone fuses with the existing jawbone, creating a dense foundation once again. This foundation will allow for the implant to hold strong, and not fail. At the time you decide bone grafting is for you, your doctor will aid you in the bone grafting treatment and fill you in on the details surrounding the procedure.
When bone grafting needs to occur, there are some options you and your doctor can choose from. Typically, a doctor will take a piece of bone from the chin or a part of your own body to fuse to the jawbone. If you choose to not use your own bone, there are other options to choose from:
- Autogenous (self-produced) bone comes from the person having the surgery and might be taken from the chin, or perhaps the hips.
- Block bone grafting is the process of cutting a piece of bone from another area of the body and implanting the area requiring the strong dental implant bone. It will need to be left for around three to six months before it will ready to take the tooth implant.
- Allograft bone comes from other human donors, usually cadavers.
If you need to undergo the bine grafting procedure, contact your doctor with any questions and to schedule a consultation. Your doctor will be able to direct you through the process and ensure you have a good experience.
