Carson Dental Implant – (Dental Implant) Bone Grafting
You are in excellent health, but you lose a tooth or teeth from an injury, old age, periodontal disease, or an infection. Having a dental implant to replace the missing teeth may be your best solution in offering you a natural-like and long-lasting replacement. One of the requirements for the success of a dental implant is to have reliable and sufficient bone to support it. Unfortunately, your jawbone may be damaged or weak, due to various reasons requiring a bone graft to provide a strong foundation for your implant.
If you feel a dental implant is a right choice for you, speaking with an experienced dentist from Carson Dental Implant is critical. If a bone graft is required, your dentist will discuss it with and advise on the surgical procedure.
Understanding Bone Grafting in Dentistry
If you want to have dental implants to replace your missing teeth, you must keep in mind that you may be ordered to have a bone graft. This is a surgical procedure designed to rebuild or repair bones through the process of transplanting bone tissue. Although the name may make it sound scary and even the thought of surgery, but you don’t need to be scared. A bone graft is a regular procedure carried out in many patients requiring dental implants successfully.
As earlier stated, if you lack sufficient or healthy natural bone to support an implant, it is when your dentist will recommend bone grafting. Some of the causes of bone deficiency are:
- Gum disease – A gum disease that has lasted for long can weaken your underlying jawbone. Gum disease can eat on your bone, causing it to deteriorate or reduce in mass.
- Injury to the face or trauma – If you were involved in an accident like a road accident and you sustained significant damages to your face, it may be a reason for a bone graft. Some accident victims lose their teeth from the accident, requiring them to perform a graft to facilitate replacing of their teeth.
- A gap where a tooth has been missing – If you have had your tooth or teeth missing for long, your jawbone begins to deteriorate and weaken. This is another reason why your dentist will recommend a bone graft to rebuild your bone before a dental implant.
- Developmental defects – Sometimes, you may just be having flaws in the development of your bone. When this is determined, your dentist may recommend a bone graft to create a strong base for your implants.
It is essential to understand that anyone can be a candidate for a bone graft. Because the lack of sufficient bone density may not have medical symptoms, you may not know you need it until you require a dental implant. It is also possible to have lost your tooth today, and tomorrow on visiting your dentist for an implant, you are ordered for a bone graft. This is possible if your socket was infected before the loosing of the tooth.
Typically, however, when one has lost a tooth, the bone known as alveolar starts to degenerate. The work of this bone is to provide a base and secure your tooth. If you lack a tooth, the bone has no job, and it begins to degenerate. Additionally, as you chew your food, you strengthen and build your jawbone. When you lack a tooth, it means the lack of chewing that asserts the pressure necessary in enhancing the jawbone is gone. As a result, you begin to lose your jawbone too.
For dental implants to be successful, osseointegration is critical. This is the process where the implant infuses to the bone, creating a strong foundation to place the crown. If you have no underlying jawbone, it is impossible to have an implant.
Ideally, you must have a healthy bone measuring 2mm both at the front and back of your implants. For instance, if the implant you will have is 3mm, you will need to have 2mm at the front ad 2mm at the back. This means the total bone mass you need for a successful implant is 7mm. If you have stayed with a missing tooth for some period, the receding of your bone must have happened, making it less than the needed 7mm. As a result, you will require a bone graft.
Types of Bone Grafts
Several kinds of bone grafts exist and what your dentist uses will depend on how damaged the underlying jawbone is, and the position of the missing tooth. These types include:
Socket Graft
One of the commonly used kinds of bone graft is known as the socket graft. The primary purpose of this graft is the prevention of atrophy in the alveolar bone before it occurs. This is done by placing a human bone tissue in the socket directly.
This type of bone graft also helps in preventing the collapse of your socket. After this socket graft, the process of rebuilding or regenerating another bone may take between four and six months. Once sufficient bone is developed after this period, you will be ready to have dental implant surgery. Having this graft also helps in reducing the pain or discomfort you experience post-implant surgery.
Lateral Ridge Preservation Graft
This type of graft is ideal when increasing your jawbone width in preparation for implants. On most occasions, a human bone is used in this type of graft as well.
Block Bone Graft
This is another kind of bone graft that is ideally used where there are significant defects in the underlying bone. In performing this surgery, your surgeon will harvest from behind your jaw a small amount of block bone. The harvested bone is then placed where there is the defect and is held together with titanium screws. The healing and growth of new bone, in this case, takes four to six months, just like in other forms of grafts.
Sinus Lift
This type of graft is commonly done on the upper jaw if you have no sufficient or reliable bone to secure the implant. Equine bone is typically used in expanding the graft, and it is added to a human bone. The reason equine bone is preferred is because of its two main advantages. It does not dissolve as quickly as human bone, and it is closely similar to human bones. The healing and growth of a new bone in the sinus cavity, however, takes longer than in other grafts. This will mean that you will have to wait for between eight and twelve months to have your dental implants installed.
The Process of Bone Graft
Aside from the various types of bone grafts, the materials used for the process are diverse. But, they are generally categorized into two; those from a human body and those from a jar. When the material is from the jar, it means it is synthetic or manufactured in a unique process allowing evolving of granulated biomaterials. This type of grafting material acts as the base for the formation of a new jawbone to secure the implant.
The biomaterials are from limb amputation, or cadaver, human donor, a cow, or artificially made such as calcium phosphate derivatives from coral shells. This donor material or biocompatible material when placed where there is no bone, it attaches as a bone graft. The idea behind this is for the material to trigger your bone cells to rebuild themselves and build more bone mass.
With time, the cells transform the material used for grafting to your bone that functions naturally. Although you can use the artificial biomaterials, using a bone tissue extracted from your body is also ideal. The bones can be harvested from your chin, hip, or other areas of the mouth. This is like the behind of your upper jaw or the palate. Ideally, dentists prefer extracting a donor bone from near the area they are working on.
One of the significant advantages of using your bone is how fast it triggers your body into the building of new bone. Taking a donor bone from your mouth area or chin causes more pain and discomfort compared to having a synthetic bone. However, a dentist decides on what to use depending on the long term benefits of your implant. The procedure is performed under anesthesia to minimize the discomfort for you.
Bone grafting is a complex treatment that may require several visits to your dentist, especially when you have other oral health issues. This makes it essential to schedule an appointment for a comprehensive dental exam before the commencement of the grafting or implant procedure.
During the initial visit, your dentist will examine your medical history and carry out a detailed oral exam. During this exam to have dental implants on, your dentist will take X-rays that will show the condition of the jawbone and if it is sufficient to hold an implant. If you have other underlying health issues like suffering from periodontal disease, treatment for the same is first done before any procedure begins.
After the dentist reviews and analyzes your case, you will be given a comprehensive treatment plan, accompanied by the cost for the procedure. Prices differ depending on the intensity of the process, the number of teeth to be replaced, and if you had any underlying conditions that require treatment.
How to Manage your Pain after a Bone Grafting Procedure
Most dental surgeries will leave any person with some level of discomfort. This is also true when you have had a bone graft procedure done. However, the pain may not be substantial and will resemble that experienced after the extraction of a tooth. The pain, as a result, can be managed by over the counter pain medications or prescription pain drugs.
After the bone grafting procedure, you will also experience swelling in your face. Immediately following the process, the swelling is more but goes down in seven days at most. You must, however, use ice on your face frequently to keep the inflammation and swelling under control. This routine also helps stop bleeding as well as stimulating the healing process by limiting blood flow to your gums. Using ice on the graft location also minimizes the possibility of failure of the implants or bone graft.
Eating after Bone Graft
Your mouth is typically tender the initial days post bone graft surgery. What you eat immediately following the procedure depends on how complex the operation was. For the first few days, you may be restricted to a cold diet or warm one but soft foods only.
When asked to take a cold diet, the typical foods will include chilled soups of well-blended foods but must be cold. Vegetable and fruit smoothies, juices, milkshakes, and other nutritional beverages can be consumed as well.
If warm, soft foods are what your dentist recommends, then you will consider foods like pureed fruits, mashed potatoes, cooked cereals, or smoothies. Aside from the foods you eat, other recommendations will help accelerate your healing, these include:
- Sleeping – When you recently had a bone graft surgery, sleeping on your back is recommended. You must also keep your head elevated on a pillow to keep the swelling and inflammation down. Additionally, sleeping in this manner reduces blood flow that would otherwise flow to the graft area and collect there. This method of sleeping will also trigger fast recovery from the procedure. If, for some reason, you cannot sleep in this manner, avoid sleeping on the side where the graft was done.
- Rest – Taking the right rest post-surgery is also critical to your recovery. The first two to three days must be taken easily by refraining from rigorous activities. When you engage in significantly substantial activities, you can interfere with the operated area and cause the opening of the stitches. Within a few days, you will get back to normal, and it will be safe to introduce more substantial activities gradually.
- Care – As you heal, you must take extra care of your body. This includes resting well, eating nutritious foods, and adapting excellent dental hygiene practices. Doing this will speed up your recovery time. For the biological process of growing a new bone to occur, it will take time and will require a healthy and robust body, hence the need to care for yourself well.
Typically, recovery from a bone graft surgery can take six months or less in some people, while others, it takes longer. As the healing happens, you will visit your dentist as scheduled to monitor the progress. Your implants will only be placed once the bone is fully grown to the required mass and is healthy to support them.
Common Questions in Bone Grafting
The advancement of technology has brought with it multiple treatment options in replacing a missing tooth. Equally, for each prospect, you may have many questions you need answering. Dental implants are argued to be the best option in replacing a missing tooth, but sometimes the procedure requires the patient to undergo bone grafting. As a result, it is common for potential patients to have questions on bone grafting and what it is all about. Some of the commonly asked questions include:
What happens if, after the removal of your tooth, you do not get a bone graft?
Naturally, the bone heals, but how it heals is in its way. This means the walls that house the particular tooth can collapse, causing you to lose bone height and width too. If you miss a significant amount of bone, it may mean you do not qualify for dental implants without a bone graft procedure.
How long must you wait after bone grafting to have your implants installed?
Before dental implants are installed, it is critical for the graft to heal and for the bone to be strong enough to hold the implant in place securely. Some people heal fast in four months, while others may take longer. Typically, if you had a tooth to be extracted, it is removed and grafting done immediately, all in one appointment. After your dentist checks to confirm that the healing is complete and the bone healthy, the process of installing the implants begins.
The implant process involves placing the titanium post into the jawbone that acts as the root of the new tooth. This process is surgical and will require a healing period of not less than four months. During the time, the new bone will fuse with the titanium post and hold it in place securely. Next, another minor surgical procedure to expose the post and fit the abutment is done. The abutment is where your new crowns for the new teeth will be installed.
How can you hide the gap from the missing tooth during grafting?
Understandably, most people are self-conscious if they are missing a tooth or several of them. Fortunately, during the grafting process as well as implant installation, temporary fake teeth can be used to hide the gaps. The temporary teeth make it easier for you to interact and smile with people as before. However, the temporary tooth is not strong to support chewing; hence you must remove it when ready to eat.
Will you be sedated during the bone grafting procedure?
Typically, any surgical procedure requires sedation. The type used will be discussed between you and your surgeon. If you opt for local anesthesia, it means you will be wide awake during the surgery, but the area for the graft will be numb. General anesthesia is also an option. This means you will be entirely asleep during the entire process, and only wake up with the drug wears off.
Can you drive yourself home after the surgery?
Although bone grafting is an outpatient procedure, you cannot drive yourself home afterward. The effects of anesthesia take some time to wear off, making it essential to have another person drive you home.
Is bone graft safe?
The procedure of having your bone grafted is exceptionally safe. The only potential risk to the process is rejection or failure of the bone graft, but this too is almost impossible. You can also get an infection, but this is unlikely as well. Your dentist will give you antibiotics to fight any possible infections. Another potential risk which is not as common is your body dissolving the graft quicker than it can transform it into the bone. If this happens, another graft will be necessary.
What causes bone graft failure?
Sometimes an infection can occur in the bone graft. So many things pass through your mouth. This makes it likely to get infected even with your best efforts to avoid it. If an infection happens, the bone graft fails. Additionally, your body can dissolve the graft quicker than it heals it. When this happens, it is also a failure requiring re-grafting.
Other times, the body can simply reject the graft. This means the bone will not be dissolved, allowing the growth of another bone. When this happens, the hole is cleaned out and allowed to heal naturally. After the healing is completed, a different type of graft can be done.
Can your bone graft fall off?
The sterile bandage holding bone particles together in the jaw is known as the membrane. If you interfere or manipulate this area, you will cause it to rise, causing the particles to fall off.
How long does the bone graft procedure take?
As earlier stated, this procedure is an outpatient one, meaning it is relatively simple. Together with tooth extraction and membrane procedure, the completed bone graft takes about forty-five minutes. After healing, the installing of the implant does not take long, either. The process of having the implant fitted can take an hour, but it depends on the number of teeth to replace.
What foods should you eat following a bone graft?
Typically because of the soreness after the surgery, it is highly recommended you take very soft foods, especially during the initial days after the surgery. As the healing process progresses, you can start introducing more solid foods to your diet.
Find a Dentist Near Me
Having excellent dental health is critical and part of your general health. One of the ways of ensuring oral health is having a mouth full of strong and healthy teeth. A dental bone graft ensures your underlying jaw bone is in excellent condition to securely hold your teeth as you do your part in practicing healthy hygienic habits. When you need replacing missing teeth, you must find an experienced dentist who will also help you in the case of a bone graft. At Carson Dental Implant, you will find experienced dentists in dental implants and bone grafting to ensure successful replacement of your missing teeth.