Bone grafting is a procedure to rebuild bone in the bone deficient areas of your jaw. Bone grafting is performed to reverse the bone loss caused by periodontal disease, trauma, or ill-fitting removable dentures. It is also used to augment bone to permit implant placement, such as augmenting bone in the sinus area for implant placement, or augmenting bone to enhance the fit and comfort of removable prostheses, or to enhance esthetics of a missing tooth site in the smile zone. When one loses a tooth, the surrounding bone collapses. To preserve this bone for future implant placement or for esthetics, a bone graft is used.
Types of Bone Graft Materials
Autogenous bone graft – In this type of graft, the bone is removed from elsewhere in the body and implanted in the mouth. This type of bone graft is the only one, which involves creating two surgical sites: one from where the bone is harvested, and the other where it is deposited.
- Allograft – Bone from a human tissue donor obtained from a bone bank (cadaver bone).
- Alloplast – Synthetic or artificial bone.
- Xenograft – This is the implantation of bovine (cow) bone. A xenograft is safe and has been used successfully for many years. Ample bone can be obtained and no secondary donor site is necessary.
Reasons for Bone Grafting
- Dental Implants – Implants are the best way to replace missing teeth. If the jawbone lacks the necessary quality or quantity of bone, bone grafting can strengthen and thicken the implant site.
- Sinus Lift – A sinus lift entails elevating the sinus membrane and grafting bone onto the sinus floor so that you have adequate bone width and height to securely place an implant.
- Ridge augmentation -Ridges in the bone can occur due to trauma, injury, birth defects or severe periodontal disease. The bone graft is used to fill in the ridge and make the jawbone a uniform shape.
To learn more about Bone Grafting or to schedule an appointment call Prestige Oral Surgery today at 609-616-3004.
