Bone Grafting

Treatment for Bone Loss

If you've experienced bone loss due to missing teeth or need to preserve bone after an extraction, your doctor can make dental implants viable by performing various bone grafting procedures to help restore lost bone.

Bone loss in the jaw can impact your overall oral health. Whether it’s from tooth loss, injury, or gum disease, bone reduction can lead to complications. Dental implants are an excellent solution for many patients, but adequate bone must be present for successful placement. Bone grafting is commonly performed to restore or build up bone in the jaw, either as part of dental implant treatment or other oral surgery procedures that aim to improve oral health.

How Does Bone Loss Impact Oral Health?

In a healthy mouth, tooth roots are hidden beneath the gums, providing stability and stimulating the jawbone through chewing. This activity helps maintain bone strength and volume. However, when a tooth is lost, especially for an extended period, bone loss can occur. Other causes of bone loss include gum disease, tumors, infections, and facial trauma injuries.

Bone loss can lead to changes in facial structure and may make speaking and chewing more challenging. Additionally, the extent of bone loss can make certain tooth replacement options, like dental implants, difficult or even impossible without additional treatment. Fortunately, many patients with bone loss can still become candidates for implants with a bone grafting procedure. Bone grafting is also used in other oral surgery procedures, such as those addressing facial trauma.

Types of Bone Grafting Treatments

Bone grafting involves applying specialized material to areas where bone has been lost or where additional bone is needed. This material, which can come from your own body or a tissue bank, is designed to stimulate healing and bone growth. There are several types of bone grafting procedures, and the right one for you will depend on your treatment plan. Common bone grafting options include:

• Sinus lift: Adds more bone to the thin area between the upper jaw and the maxillary sinus.
• Socket preservation: A graft placed immediately after tooth extraction to maintain bone volume.
• Ridge expansion: Increases the height or width of the alveolar ridge, which supports the teeth.
• Major bone grafting: Typically used for severe bone loss due to trauma, disease, tumors, or congenital issues.
• Nerve repositioning: Moves the alveolar nerve to prevent damage during dental implant placement.

By using one of these bone grafting techniques, your oral surgeon can ensure the best possible outcome for your dental implant treatment or other oral surgery procedures, allowing you to restore both function and appearance.