Bone augmentation — better known as dental bone grafting — is a process that helps to rebuild the density, height, and strength of your oral bone for various purposes.
During a bone grafting procedure, we place an FDA-approved, biosafe material into the area of bone loss. As your body heals, the graft attaches to the surrounding bony structures and recreates lost bone in that area.
Why Bone Grafting is Recommended
A lack of adequate oral bone can lead to a weakened response of teeth and dental implants. It also changes the shape of your mouth and oral profile, interfering with your appearance and things like denture fit. By incorporating bone grafting, Long Island patients can better preserve their normal oral function and physical aesthetics.
“Is bone grafting recommended for me”, you ask? Our Suffolk County dentists will need to evaluate your oral anatomy, bone height, and dental X-rays first. We may suggest bone grafting for common procedures, like:
Oral Surgery
There are dozens of different types of oral surgeries. As a multi-specialty general dentistry practice, we provide a wide range of therapies under one roof. If you’re planning to have oral surgery — be it a biopsy, extraction, or implant placement — there’s a good chance that we’ll incorporate bone grafting into your overall care plan. In most cases, you won’t even realize that you’re having the graft placed, because it’s completed at the same time as your initial procedure.
Wisdom Tooth Removal
Typically, bone grafting is not necessary during routine wisdom tooth extractions. However, some types of surgical tooth removal may involve a large area of bone (especially if there are cysts involved.) Placing a bone graft immediately into the extraction site at the time of your wisdom tooth surgery will help to ensure healthy bone anatomy after your recovery.
Dental Implant Therapy
In the majority of dental implant cases, the implant is installed well after the initial tooth loss occurs. Over time, resorption or shrinkage of the bone in that area is highly likely. In fact, it’s fairly natural to see bone loss after a tooth falls out or is extracted. So, if you’re hoping to get a dental implant placed in that location, we’ll need to recreate the appropriate amount of bone support to keep it in place. Otherwise, the implant will fail. Grafting and the proper amount of planning can improve the success of your upcoming implant procedure. With the right amount of support, your implants can potentially last an entire lifetime.
Sinus Lifts
After tooth loss, it’s common for nasal sinuses to “drop” down into the open space left behind by the missing roots. If you plan to have a dental implant installed, the sinus lining will need to be lifted to create room for the implant structure. A bone graft is then placed into that area to create a stable filler and foundation prior to implant installation. The graft itself helps to support the repositioned sinus lining, keeping it “high” enough that it won’t risk a puncture or rupture when an implant is installed.
Periodontal Disease
Gum disease causes bone loss (resorption) around teeth. Unfortunately, the bone doesn’t grow back on its own. So even if you’ve undergone periodontal therapy, severe bone loss can jeopardize the integrity of those affected teeth. Placing a bone graft adjacent to your tooth can help to stabilize and retain it, reducing your chances of tooth loss or necessary extractions. We will only recommend bone grafting for gum disease if you are in complete recovery and the structural loss is not too severe. Areas of vertical bone loss tend to be prime sites.
Trauma
Some instances of traumatic injuries can result in bone resorption (shrinkage) or serious fractures. It may be essential to incorporate bone augmentation in key areas of your mouth to recreate bone density. Otherwise, there’s a risk of recurring fractures and unnecessary tooth loss. Grafts may help to complement surgical plates, pins, or other reconstructive devices to safeguard the integrity and function of your oral structures.
Cleft Surgery
Cleft palate is a developmental anomaly that involves the failure of bone fusion around the mouth while in utero. Depending on the type and severity of the cleft, numerous surgeries may be required. Incorporating bone augmentation into the cleft palate repair will add additional reinforcement and bone support throughout your reconstruction. Since clefts can also affect soft tissues without involving bone, cleft repair may not require augmentation in all scenarios.
Bone Resorption
Resorption is another word we use to describe shrinkage or deterioration. It’s common to see bone resorb any time a tooth goes missing or is extracted. And when the bone next to one tooth resorbs, it also affects the adjacent tooth on the other side of it. To minimize jeopardizing the stability of your other teeth, we may recommend bone augmentation.
Bone resorption can also occur in spaces following extreme orthodontic measures, trauma, as a result of aging, infection, or following disease. Intermittent diagnostic X-rays make it possible to pinpoint resorption in areas of your mouth before external symptoms become noticeable.
What is Bone Grafting Made From?
There are various types of FDA-approved materials available for bone augmentation treatments. In more aggressive cases, such as reconstruction, it may be necessary to remove the bone structure from elsewhere in your body and reposition it into your mouth. Most cases do not involve such extreme measures. Rather, we utilize sterilized osseous powder or bony framework and affix it directly into the oral site at the time of your surgical procedure. Our Long Island dentists will discuss the various types of bone grafts available as they relate to your unique situation.
Bone Grafting: Ensuring Success of Your Smile
Are you a candidate for dental bone grafting? Sachem Dental Group provides multi-specialty general services like dental bone augmentation alongside your reconstruction needs. Reserve a consultation with one of our Long Island dentists today to find out if a graft can strengthen your teeth or improve your candidacy for dental implants.
Contact us today to reserve an appointment.