Do you need to replace a missing tooth? If you’re looking for a long-term solution, join the approximately half a million people that undergo implant treatment each year. The first step to getting dental implants is to schedule an initial consultation with your dentist. If your tooth has been missing for a while, don’t be surprised if they recommend a bone graft before placing your implants. Although a bone graft in Chesapeake will add an additional step to your smile restoration journey, it will boost your chances of success. Keep reading below to find out how.
Tooth Loss and Bone Loss
Every time you eat a meal, the pressure from chewing and biting stimulates the jawbone through the tooth roots. However, when a tooth goes missing, that stimulation disappears. As a result, the jawbone slowly deteriorates, just like a muscle slowly gets weaker and smaller if you stop working out. The bone resorption process happens relatively quickly. According to some estimates, approximately 25 percent of the surrounding bone disappears within the first year after a tooth goes missing.
Bone Grafting and Dental Implants
Unlike traditional dentures, dental implants replace missing teeth by integrating directly with the jawbone beneath the gums. However, if your jawbone has deteriorated, it may not be strong enough to support an implant. That’s where bone grafting comes in!
A bone graft in Chesapeake is an advanced procedure in which a dentist adds bone material to the weakened section of the jawbone. This bone material can come from another part of your body, a donor, or be made from artificial material. Over time, the new bone will fuse with the jaw, providing it with the strength required to support dental implants.
There are several types of bone grafting procedures:
- Socket Graft – This procedure aims to prevent bone deterioration that leads to the collapse of a socket.
- Lateral Ridge Preservation Graft – This procedure is used to increase the width of the jawbone in order to accommodate a dental implant.
- Block Bone Graft – This procedure is often required when there are large defects in the jawbone. It involves harvesting a small block of bone from the back of the jaw.
Do You Need Bone Grafting?
While dental implants and bone grafts often go hand-in-hand, not everyone needs this preliminary procedure. Your dentist may recommend bone grafting if you have:
- Gum disease
- Face injury or trauma
- Development defects
- Empty space after teeth were removed
The only way to find out for sure if you need a bone graft to reinforce the foundation for your new smile with implants is to visit your dentist.
About the Author
Dr. Lucia Troisi regularly performs start-to-finish implant treatment at her private practice in Chesapeake, VA. A proud graduate of NOVA Southeastern University, she has taken numerous continuing education courses in restorative dentistry to keep abreast of the field’s changing technologies. To find out if you could benefit from a bone graft in Chesapeake, visit the Troisi Dentistry website or call (757) 548-1611.