Dental implants require a certain amount of bone in order to be successful. When the implant site does not have the required amount of bone, your dentist may suggest a bone graft. This implant procedure stimulates bone growth and may be performed at the same time as the placement of the dental implant.
A bone graft is performed when the bone at the implant site is too soft or too thin. A small piece of bone is taken from your hip or a different area of your jaw and placed at the implant site. Sometimes artificial bone is used in bone grafting. Months may be required for the bone graft to grow the amount of bone needed for an implant.
If only a minor bone graft is needed, the implant may be placed in the jawbone during the grafting procedure. Whether or not this is possible depends on the condition of the bone at the time of the bone graft.
Bone Defect Repair
When the jawbone has defects that would interfere with a dental implant, a bone graft can be used to build up the bone so the defect can be effectively repaired. If the bone around the tooth socket is damaged, bone graft material may be placed in the socket to regenerate bone growth. The gum is pulled over the socket and sutures are used to close it up. After a sufficient amount of healing time has passed, the area is prepared for the dental implant.
Sometimes the boney ridge around the tooth socket needs to be smoothed or contoured. If bone is missing or the edge of the alveolar ridge is not smooth, it will need to be smoothed out before an implant can be placed. Repairing bone, so it can fuse to an implant, is a procedure that in itself may not take that long, but the healing process can take months.
At Ora Dental Implant Studio, bone grafting and bone defect repair are procedures we offer for potential implant patients who need them. Contact us for more information about dental implants and the surgical procedures that may be necessary to complete the process.