Dental implants are restorations for damaged, decayed, or missing teeth. They are the closest dental restoratives to function like natural teeth. To attach implants, there must be sufficient bone density for a higher chance of successful osseointegration – the fusion of the implant into the jawbone. For patients who have had lost their teeth for a long term or older patients, a bone grafting is required to guarantee that there’s an adequate mass of healthy bone in the jaw to be able to hold up the implants.
Why is a Bone Grafting Procedure Sometimes Required for Dental Implants?
Bone grafting is a procedure wherein healthy bone is taken from other bones in your body such as ribs, hips, or legs. The bone is then transplanted in the jaw to have enough density to anchor the implants. This surgery normally doesn’t cause pain during and after the procedure. The patient has to wait for the healing period (approximately 2 weeks to 2 months) to end before proceeding with the dental implant surgery.
Your oral surgeon will be the one to decide if you need this surgical procedure or not. It will greatly depend on the mass on your jawbone, your age as well as your overall health.
What Happens During the Procedure?
The process mainly consists of taking a piece of healthy bone from a different part of the patient’s body or another animal. The bone is then grafted on the jaw. With a high success rate, your body will consider the grafted bone on your jaw as a natural part and will undergo resorption. The procedure is usually pain-free. However, antibiotics will be prescribed by your oral surgeon. You must take these medications as your grafted bone heals. The recovery period typically takes about 2 weeks to 2 months.
In case the graft is only a small one, then you can undergo dental implants surgery on the same day after the bone grafting is completed.
We at Highland Oak Dental are devoted to giving only the best oral care experience in Frisco, TX. We make sure that our patients are comfortable during their visit to our office and come out satisfied with the results. We are knowledgeable in bone grafting and are skilled in conducting them. We will make sure that you are pain-free during the surgery. Schedule an appointment and consult with us so we can address any concerns or questions you may have. Our caring team is excited to meet and help you in improving your oral health.
Source: Bone grafting. (n.d.).