Bone Graft Surgery- Purpose, Procedure And Risk

Bone grafting for dental implants is a painless procedure with a normal course of healing.

This is a surgical procedure to repair, restructure, or rebuild the jawbones through bone transplant.

It is commonly performed while fitting dental implants and there is nothing scary about it at all.

Many times, a person getting dental implants may not have adequate bony support or may lack healthy bones in the mouth.

To provide support to the dental implants, this procedure may be carried out by the dental surgeon before proceeding with the dental implants.

What is a Dental Bone Graft?

This is a fairly common surgical procedure carried out when there is a loss of bony support or absence of healthy bone structure in the mouth. 

These changes impact the neighboring tooth/teeth. These changes also create a problem for dental implants due to lack of support.

The remedial measure is bone grafting by an experienced dental surgeon to add volume as well as density to the jaw in specific areas of bone loss.

When done by an expert, this is a painless, uneventful procedure with rapid healing. Dental bone grafting for dental implants is a prerequisite for longevity and success of implants in people who have low bone mass or weak bone structure in their jaw.

What Are the Different Types of Bone Graft Procedures?

These are the four major types

• Socket preservation also called ridge preservation
• Block bone graft
• Sinus lift
• Periodontal bone graft

Who May Need Dental Bone Grafts?

Dental gone grafts are mostly performed on:

• People requiring implants who have insufficient bone structure and density

• People with loss of bone tissue due to tooth decay and gum disease

• For those whose facial structure and appearance has been affected due to bone loss. This can occur due to injuries, infections, certain treatments like for cancer, etc

• Some people having a tooth extraction

• People who need more structural support before getting the dentures

How is this Procedure Done?

First and foremost, the type of bone graft procedure and the type of graft have to be decided after assessing the patient. 

• The graft may come from your body which is called autogenous graft. 

• It may come from another person via human tissue bank and it is called allograft. 

• The graft may come from an animal which is called xenograft

• Synthetic bone material or natural substitutes can also be used. Synthetic bone graft is called alloplast. 

Bone tissue can regenerate and this is what makes bone grafting successful. Thus it is both filler and a scaffold.

This procedure does not generally lead to any major reaction making it a really safe and successful process. 

The Procedure

The First Step for Dental Bone Grafting:

• It all begins with an oral examination to assess the health of your teeth, gums, and jaw.
• The dentist discusses the next step with the patient and understands their needs
• This is followed up by X-Rays or CT scans to locate the specific areas of bone loss or decay. Your dentist makes a treatment plan based on the results.

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