Bone grafts are sometimes part of the dental implant process. When a patient needs more jaw bone material to hold a dental implant in place, we may recommend a bone graft.
A bone graft is a common procedure that plenty of patients need. It’s a good service to have available, because it makes implants successful, which in turn lets you have replacement teeth, implant-supported dentures, and other tooth restoration possibilities.
What Does a Bone Graft Do?
A bone graft surgery can strengthen the jaw bone in a specific area. Usually, this procedure happens in preparation for dental implant placement, as dental implants require a certain level of jaw strength.
We can thicken your jawbone so that the dental implant post will stay in place firmly for the rest of your life, supporting a new tooth or appliance.
What Advantages Will a Bone Graft Give You?
We recommend a bone graft when it will help hold your new tooth in place and give you a solid chewing surface, better dental health, and a great smile. The advantages of having a successful dental implant can include:
- Confidence: You’ll know your teeth look natural and amazing.
- Nutritional Variety: Eat a wide range of food, from the crunchy to the sticky, without damaging an implant.
- A Healthy Smile: Your implant will prevent other teeth from migrating into the now empty socket.
- Investment Value: You might use your dental implant for the rest of your life, transitioning from a single tooth to a dental bridge or to dentures.
- Facial Structure: By stimulating jaw bone growth, grafts and implants can sometimes make a face look younger.
Don’t worry, dentists have used bone grafts for hundreds of years. It’s a worry-free, simple procedure.
What Happens During a Dental Bone Grafting Procedure?
When we give you a consultation for a dental implant, we include dental X-rays. This sometimes reveals that a crucial area of the jaw bone is too thin to support an implant.
We might then recommend bone graft surgery. This 1–2 hour procedure involves:
- Preparation: We clean the site and make sure it’s safe.
- Sedation: We give you appropriate anesthesia for surgery.
- Bone Graft: Your surgeon adds material to the bone site.
The material naturally stimulates the jaw bone to grow and thicken in that site, creating more natural bone. This prepares the jaw to accept an implant successfully.
We coordinate this process right here in our office for your convenience. If you find out you need a bone graft, don’t worry. We’ll take care of it. You’ll most likely still be able to receive an implant.
What Happens After a Bone Graft?
Once the new material is in place, your bone will grow around it over a few months. In the meantime, if you feel any soreness, you might need to:
- Use ice packs and cold compresses to control swelling.
- Take over-the-counter painkillers.
- Keep your mouth clean with brushing, flossing, and gentle rinsing.
- Avoid strenuous exercise.
These tips apply to any oral surgery. The human body needs time to heal and generate new tissues, which is sometimes an uncomfortable process.
A Dental Implant Consultation in West Jordan, Utah
If you’re missing a tooth or teeth, the first step to tooth restoration is an implant consultation. We’ll perform a thorough exam and take scans to discover if dental implants are ideal for you.
Dental implants historically have a 95% or better success rate, which is one of the best of all oral surgeries. Bone grafts are a part of the reason. So if you need one, don’t worry. It’s part of successfully getting a new tooth.
Call Robison Family Dental to schedule your dental implant consultation in West Jordan.