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How Bone Grafting Supports a Dental Implant
When you get a dental implant, we surgically implant a titanium post into your jaw. This post serves as a prosthetic tooth root, offering stability and durability and helping to keep your jawbone healthy.
Some people, though, don’t have enough bone, or enough healthy bone, for a successful implant. Dr. Michael Nichols at Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi in Flowood, Mississippi, offers bone grafting in those cases.
Why you might need bone grafting
You might wonder why some people don’t have enough bone to support a dental implant. It could be simply due to the location of the gap left by the missing tooth. For example, the natural bone supporting your front teeth, both upper and lower, is quite thin.
The bone may also thin if your tooth has been missing for a long time. Each time you bite down, the roots of your teeth stimulate blood flow to your jawbone. After years of lacking that stimulation, the bone can become unhealthy.
Some people also have larger-than-average sinus cavities, which can mean the bone that supports your teeth is thin. In such cases, Dr. Nichols can perform a sinus grafting procedure, during which he moves the lining of your sinus to allow for the bone grafting procedure.
Materials used in bone grafting
We’ve already mentioned the dental implant itself is a titanium post, but the material used for the bone graft could come from a variety of sources. We may use bone from another part of your body, synthetic bone, a natural substitute, or some combination.
The graft itself serves as a scaffold for the formation of more bone, and it also promotes healing. Once placed, the bone graft needs to heal for some time before we can proceed with the implant. Generally, this part of the process lasts 4-6 months.
What to expect from the procedure
Your bone graft procedure may take place at the same time as an extraction, or it may be a separate procedure. Either way, you’re given anesthesia to ensure your comfort.
We insert the grafting material, suture your gum, and then wait while you heal and grow new bone. Our team provides thorough aftercare instructions so you know how to care for your stitches.
If you have questions about your options for tooth replacement, call Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi today to schedule an appointment. Dr. Nichols can offer advice tailored to your situation and oral health.
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