What You Should Know About Bone Grafting

There are many reasons why people choose to have dental implants, most commonly for comfort and the health benefits.  

A dental implant procedure involves implanting a base into the bone under the teeth, then attaching a natural-looking tooth to the base.  But, a problem arises when there is not enough bone to support the base of the implant.  Bone grafting is one solution to this problem, and it is common in dental implant procedures.

When you understand the details about bone grafting, you can make a proper, informed decision about whether it is the right option for you.

What is Bone Grafting?

A bone graft procedure involves the addition of extra bone into the area of the dental implant.  This enables the implant to be properly secured in the mouth.  Your dentist or periodontist can do this procedure.

According to the Periodontist Beverly Hills, there are two options in bone grafting:

●        Autogenus graft– This type of bone graft occurs when the extra bone is from the patient’s body.  In this procedure, the bone is removed (usually from the chin or hip) in a hospital and then added to the bone in the mouth.  The healing process can take up to 6 months before a patient is suitable to complete the dental implant procedure.

This method still is becoming less and less used, due to its more invasive nature and the development of synthetic and bovine bone.

●        Xenograft – This is when the bone is taken from an outside source– either synthetically-created or adapted from a bovine (cow) bone.  The bovine bone goes through an extensive sterilization process and has all its organic material removed.  All that remains are its minerals. 

 At first, this external bone secures the implant.  Over time, it provokes the body to incorporate and gradually replace this bone through natural bone growth.

There are few situations where a bone graft isn’t possible.  If there has been extensive damage to the bone or if it is weak, bone grafting is not advisable.  In this case, a dentist could insert a plate to secure the implants.

But, if the jaw bone is healthy and there has been no damage to the bone, a bone graft is possible.  Sometimes, issues like periodontal disease (the later stages of gum disease) can destroy the bone.  This means that a bone graft may be necessary.

If you are considering a dental implant, Periodontist Beverly Hills are amongst the world's best at bone grafting.  This is why we turn to them for the best information about the procedure.