Understanding what bone grafting is will help you prepare for a potential procedure. Bone grafting is adding a piece of bone to an area of low bone volume or density. In dentistry, this typically means adding bone to an area of the jaw where loss has occurred. The bone that gets added through bone grafting can come from elsewhere in a person’s body, from another human donor or animal donor, or it may be synthetic.
Dental bone grafting commonly occurs after someone has a tooth extraction, when a missing tooth is replaced by a dental implant, when an area of the jaw needs reinforcement for fitting dentures, or where bone loss has occurred because of gum disease. Discover high-quality periodontic services in White Marsh at Dental Designs of Maryland – White Marsh, MD by reaching out to 410.834.4284.
What Is Bone Grafting?
Bone grafting relies on the same premise as any other surgical graft, such as a skin or gum graft. By taking the same substance from elsewhere in the body where it is not as necessary, you can repair an area of damage and support the body in healing. Bone grafts can be visualized as a scaffold for an injured area to rebuild itself.
Bone grafts become necessary for a variety of reasons. First, perhaps most commonly, is in response to tooth extraction. Needing to extract a tooth leaves behind a gap in the mouth. Moreover, part of the jawbone where the extracted tooth is anchored may have suffered damage and needs repair.
Another scenario that necessitates bone grafting is before getting a dental implant. The implant needs a healthy section of bone to connect to. The other common reason for conducting a bone graft is periodontal disease damaging the jawbone.
Do I Need Periodontic Services?
Your general dentist is your go-to source for answering the question, “Do I need periodontal services?” Based on your dental history and current predicament, they will be able to recommend whether or not you need periodontic services. Proper dental care and oral hygiene may be enough to forego ever needing a bone graft. Yet some health issues are beyond an individual’s control.
Understanding every four main types of bone grafts will help you know if you need periodontic services or not.
1. Socket Preservation
Socket preservation is a type of bone graft where the graft is placed into the void left from tooth extraction. Without something to take the extracted tooth’s place, the socket may cave in and lead to later oral issues. Once this type of graft heals, it is often followed by a dental implant to replace the missing tooth.
2. Ridge Augmentation
Ridge augmentation is sometimes necessary for people who are missing multiple teeth and are seeking an implant or similar restorative option. The area is viable for an implant, but the width and volume of the jawbone need to be increased through a ridge augmentation.
3. Sinus Lift
The sinuses are located right above a person’s upper back teeth. If those teeth are missing or removed, the sinuses can move down into the space left behind. When this happens, implants cannot occur because the sinus is soft tissue. A sinus lift first raises the area so a bone graft can occur.
4. Periodontal Bone Graft
Gum disease infections can wear away the bone surrounding the teeth. Over time, this can cause teeth to loosen, decay faster, or even fall out. Periodontal bone grafts repair the bone loss and ensure the teeth have stability.
Bone Grafting Services at Dental Designs of Maryland – White Marsh, MD
Dental Designs of Maryland – White Marsh, MD is here to be your partner for all things dental care. Knowing what bone grafting is will give you a better understanding of what to expect. Bone grafting is a necessary procedure and is a highly-reliable way to restore your oral health following:
- Oral trauma
- Tooth loss or extraction
- Gum disease
Your smile depends on a healthy, structurally-sound mouth. Contact 410.834.4284 to find out how our periodontic services restore your smile.