BONE GRAFTING - MELROSE, MA DENTIST
Bone grafting is a common surgical procedure which replaces and repairs damaged bone. This helps build up the jawbone to accommodate a dental implant or other restorative device. Bone loss in the jaw can have serious consequences for your dental health. Bone loss leads to loosening and eventual loss of teeth. Teeth shift, affecting your bite. Lack of bone density makes the placement of dental implants or implant-supported dentures impossible. Further, facial muscles and features lose structural support, causing a sunken appearance in the lips, cheeks, and chin.
Conditions that Cause Bone Loss
- Resorption: When a tooth is lost, the bone ridge under the missing tooth gradually begins to shrink, a process called resorption. Without the stimulation of biting and chewing, new bone cells aren’t produced quickly enough to replace older bone tissue.
- Periodontitis: Gum disease is progressive, and a leading cause of tooth loss. Left untreated, periodontitis causes gum recession, exposing bone and connective tissue to destructive bacteria and infection.
- Trauma: Bone damage caused by trauma might require bone replacement or recontouring.
- Bone Structure and Size: Sometimes the alveolar ridge is too narrow or shallow to support an implant, especially in the back of the upper jaw near the sinus cavity. In this case, the bone will need to be built up before an implant can be placed.
Bone Graft Procedure
To prevent bone loss from affecting your quality of life, your Melrose dentist might recommend a bone graft. During this procedure, grafting material is implanted in the damaged area, where it serves as a platform for your own bone tissue to regenerate and restore bone volume and density. The bone used to graft is taken from a sample from the patient. Many times, the bone is taken from another area of the mouth when drilling takes place. The bone fragments are suctioned from the mouth and used for the graft. Cadaver bone fragments can also used. They are harvested by bone banks and are a very safe source for bone donation.
A bone graft is typically performed using local anesthesia. A protective membrane may be placed over the graft to stabilize it and to prevent gum tissue from growing into the graft area. The gums will be closed with sutures. The membrane and sutures may dissolve over several days or weeks, or you may need to return to have them removed. You’ll receive detailed instructions for after care and follow-up visits. The time it takes for you to heal completely will depend in part on the size and type of your graft.