Bone Grafting

Like the foundation for a house, bone is the supporting structure for dental implants. A sufficient amount of bone, both in width and height, is necessary to provide a stable foundation for your implants to which your new tooth (teeth) are to be anchored. When a natural tooth is lost or if infection is present, the jawbone atrophies (shrinks). To restore the loss of bone volume, a bone graft may be recommended.

Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the back portion of your upper jaw. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.

These advanced procedures offer those patients with inadequate bone volume the opportunity to enjoy dental implants. For your comfort and convenience, these procedures are done in our office: Ridge Augmentation, Socket Preservation and Sinus Lifts.

Sinus Lift and Bone Augmentation

The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone.

There is a solution and it’s called a sinus graft or sinus lift graft. A small incision is made inside your mouth. The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and donor bone is inserted into the floor of the sinus. Keep in mind that the floor of the sinus is the roof of the upper jaw. After six months of healing, the bone becomes part of the patient’s jaw and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone.

The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing loose dentures.

If enough bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus is available to stabilize the implant(s) then sinus augmentations and implant placement can sometimes be performed as a single procedure.

Ridge Augmentation

In severe cases, the ridge has been reabsorbed and a bone graft is placed to increase ridge height and/or width. This is a technique used to restore the lost bone dimension when the jaw ridge gets too thin to place conventional implants. In this procedure, the bony ridge of the jaw is literally expanded by mechanical means. Bone graft material can be placed and matured for a few months before placing the implant.

Deformities in the upper or lower jaw can leave you with inadequate bone in which to place dental implants. This defect may have been caused by periodontal disease, wearing dentures, developmental defects, injury or trauma. Not only does this deformity cause problems in placing the implant, it can also cause an unattractive indentation in the jaw line near the missing teeth that may be difficult to clean and maintain. To correct the problem, the gum is lifted away from the ridge to expose the bony defect. The defect is then filled with bone or bone substitute to build up the ridge. Finally, the incision is closed and healing is allowed to take place. Depending on your individual needs, the bone usually will be allowed to mature for about four to six months before implants can be placed. In some cases, the implant can be placed at the same time the ridge is modified. Ridge modification has been shown to greatly improve appearance and increase your chances for successful implants that can last for years to come. This procedure can enhance your restorative success both esthetically and functionally.

Socket Preservation

When a tooth is extracted the socket heals and the remaining bone shrinks. In order to preserve sufficient bone volume to support an implant we place a bone graft directly into the socket. A membrane covers the bone particles and ensures that after healing the area is ready for a dental implant.

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