Bone Grafting for Implants
Do I Have Enough Bone?
After tooth extraction, if the walls of the socket are very thick, they will usually fill naturally with bone in two to three months. However, when the walls of your socket are very thin (such as in your upper and lower front teeth), this type of healing will not be as predictable. In these situations, a bone graft is often placed at the time of tooth extraction to help your body fill in the empty socket with bone. This step will maintain the width and volume of bone you will need for implant placement several months later.
Illustration Showing Upper Front Dental Bone Graft for Implants
1. Inadequate Bone
2. Graft Material Placed
3. Implants Placed
There may be inadequate bone for implant placement if your tooth was removed many years ago and your bony ridge is extremely thin. In this case, a bone graft can be placed next to the thin bone and allowed to heal for up to six months. After the graft has fused to your pre-existing bone, the ridge will be re-entered and the implant placed. Bone grafting is usually a relatively comfortable office procedure. Many different bone-grafting materials are available, including your own bone.
Illustration Showing Dental Bone Graft in Upper Ridge Area
1. Inadequate Bone
2. Graft Material and Implant Placed
You may also need bone grafting if the sinus cavities in your upper jaw are very large, or very low, and extend into the tooth-bearing areas. This often occurs when teeth in the back of a person’s upper jaw have been removed many years before, and the amount of bone available for implant placement is limited. A “sinus grafting procedure” is then required. Most often, it is performed in the office with local anesthesia and perhaps sedation. During this procedure, the membrane that lines the sinus will be located and elevated. Bone will then be added to restore the bone height and ensure that dental implants of an adequate length can be placed. This procedure often can be performed at the time of implant placement.
Patient Reviews:
This reviews section is in progress. Please visit the Patient Review Form page to leave a review about your PROCEDURE experience with Crescent Prosthodontics. Call our office if you would like more information: Crescent Prosthodontics Office Phone Number 803-851-3950.
Crescent Prosthodontics
Patient Testimonial
Until I was seen by Dr. Ruggiero I thought a prostodontist was a specialist that mostly made partials and dentures. I found out that this is not completely true. While he can do these procedures, he also has so much more training than a general dentist. He can do all of the normal things that the general dentist does such as fillings, dental cleanings, crowns, bridges, extractions, bone grafting, placement of implants and full mouth rehabilitation and having a low dose CBCT scanner right in his facility helped him to get a treatment plan fast so as not to waste time going from one place to another. I saw slide shows on a computer screen as I was getting numb that was show casing some of his patients he has helped "get their smile back", but mostly regain function of their teeth and mouth. I would recommend him to anyone seeking total dental care.
- Melissa G