Dental Bone Graft
Guide to Dental Bone Grafting
The dental bone graft is
an additional procedure that becomes necessary in some cases of dental
implants.
A bone graft is only called for when there is no sufficient
jawbone to hold the dental implants steady. Since the dental implants
are implanted into the jawbone, lack of bone in this area will make the
dental implant procedure impossible, thus canceling out the treatment,
or it can also make the dental implants unstable.
The jawbone is designed to have sufficient bone in it since it
is also what naturally holds the teeth. Unfortunately, the bone can be
surprisingly vulnerable when faced with certain problems. For example,
if you lose a tooth and neglect it for a long time, the gums may recede
and there may be bone loss.
Aside from that, some gum diseases also
lead to bone loss. There are also natural cases wherein the lack of
bone in the jaw area is an inborn trait. In such circumstances, bone
grafting often becomes necessary.
Bone Graft 101: An Introduction
- Nature
of Bone Grafting
- Where is The Bone Taken?
- How Does the Dental Bone Grafting Procedure Go?
1. Nature of Bone Grafting
Bone grafting is a common procedure done not only in the
dental field but in other medical and cosmetic surgeries. Usually, in
the case of surgeries, bone graft procedures are used.
The dental bone
grafting procedure is just one type of bone augmentation surgery. It is
an operation wherein a piece of bone from another part of the body is
taken in order to use or implant it in another part of the body where
it is needed for a particular reason.
This operation should be
performed only by a licensed and properly trained dental surgeon.
2. The Bone Graft Stage
A bone grafting procedure is done in an operating room or in a
dentist’s clinic, in the dental setting. It requires local
anesthesia because it requires making incisions in two separate areas,
the donor area which is where the bone is to be taken from and the
recipient area or the area which receives the donated piece of bone.
The surgeon begins by cutting through the recipient area to see just
how much additional bone would be needed. In the dental field, this
involves cutting through the gums. Then the surgeon begins working on
the donor area next by making the incision and cutting off a small
piece of bone of the appropriate size, then taking it out. To ensure
the safety of the patient, the donor area is first closed up.
After that, the surgeon will work on the actual implantation.
At this point, the piece of bone taken from the donor area will now be
placed in the intended position usually with some bone marrow added
around it. Surgeons, however, first drill tiny holes along the
recipient area in order to cause some bleeding. The bleeding helps the
newly implanted bone to heal faster. After the implantation, the area
is stitched up too.
Patients are sent home with the advice to eat only soft foods
for a while and are given antibiotics that can help fend off the risk
of infection.
3. The Dental Implant Stage
If the jawbone already has sufficient bone, you can now get an
implant placed.
The problem, however, is that the bone grafting
procedure is a rather complicated one. It takes around 6 months to an
entire year for the complete healing period to elapse. Only when the
bone graft is already stable and steady can you continue with the next
step in the dental implant procedure.
Where Do Dentists Get the Extra Bones?
Commonly, in dental bone graft procedures, bones are taken
from another part of the body, like the lower jaw, your shin, your hip,
and so on. This is the best option as you still get your own bone.
The
bones found in the hips are also the most favorable since they have
plenty of bone marrow, which helps speed up recovery. There are some
cases, however, that the surgeon or dentist is not able to take bone
from any part of the body for some reasons.
Usually, the bones are
taken from mammals, preferably cows, or sometimes even from cadavers of
humans.
Back from
Dental Bone Graft to Tooth Pain
Back from Dental
Bone Graft to Individual Dental Insurance
Privacy
Policy
Copyright dentalinsurancecare.com.
Protected by Copyscape - do not copy.
