Bone Grafts...

 

What are bone grafts?

 

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that replaces missing bone with material from an artificial, synthetic, or natural substitute. It's often done to reverse the loss or resorption of bone that may have occurred due to tooth loss, trauma, disease or ill-fitting dentures, and to rebuild the bone structure beneath the gums in preparation for the placement of dental implants or other tooth replacements.


When a bone graft is implanted in the jaw, it doesn't just simply fill a void in the bone; it may also help promote new bone growth in that location. When successful, bone grafting can restore both the height and width of your jaw bone.


The actual bone grafting procedure is much more straightforward than you might think. After the dentist has placed the bone to be grafted onto the site, he will then cover it with a protective membrane. This membrane is used to protect the bone from any germs found in the mouth and ensure that the area is perfectly clean to encourage the healing process.


Healing time for a bone graft can vary from patient to patient but on average it is around 4 months. Patients may be given a course of antibiotics to take in the days following their bone graft. The Dentist will check on the success of the bone graft by performing x-rays to determine the height and width of the new bone. Once this has been confirmed as satisfactory, and the site of the bone graft is totally healed, the next stage of the dental process can begin.

 

Membrane Bone Grafts (Separate from Extraction)

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What to expect

  • You may find some small granules in your mouth for the first several days. Do not be alarmed by these. It's normal to have some of them come out of the graft site and into your mouth.

  • Most patients have only a little discomfort after the procedure. Most discomfort occurs during the first 24 hours.

  • You should return to our office after 7 to 10 days to have the sutures removed, and to see how you are healing. You probably will be asked to return a few more times to make sure the area is healing properly.

  • Depending on each individual patient, the implant will either be placed at the same time as the bone graft or the patient will need to wait several months for the bone grafting to take before placing the implant.