Bone & Gum Grafting
Bone & Gum Grafting
Dental implants supporting replacement teeth provide excellent stability and function like natural teeth. This is possible as the implant screw is firmly secured in the jawbone for maximum support. However, in order to benefit from this unique technology, you need to have sufficient jawbone density to hold a dental implant in position.Â
Unfortunately, immediately after tooth loss, the surrounding bone begins to deteriorate. And if the missing tooth is not substituted promptly, its supporting bone melts away. In such situations, bone and gum grafting surgery will help augment the deficiency.
What Is Bone & Gum Grafting?
Bone and gum grafting is also called regenerative surgery. A bone graft is utilized to reconstruct bone and soft supporting tissues that have been lost due to gum disease. Periodontitis is a gum disease requiring bone and gum grafting. Patients suffering from this disease lose gum density and bone support naturally present around their teeth. With bone and gum surgery, their lost tissues are recreated.
When Would You Need Bone & Gum Grafting?
You might need bone and gum grafting if you lose jawbone mass due to:
- Tooth decay and infection
- Tooth loss with a void created after the tooth was removed, leading to bone loss over time
- Periodontal disease
- Defective tooth development
- Facial trauma
- Long-term use of dentures
- Dental treatments that did not address the need to maintain or restore the adequate bone structure
The Bone & Gum Grafting Process
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How It Works
Bone and gum grafting is a minor surgical procedure done in the dental office. It is used to place a new bone in the area of your jawbone that holds the teeth firmly. A tiny incision is made in your gum to uncover the bone underneath it, and then grafting material is placed. The grafting material is often treated bone that serves as a framework around which your body will regenerate new bone cells. The grafting material will ultimately be absorbed by your body and replaced by your bone.
The required grafting material can come from various sources. Sometimes it comes from your own body. Or else it is taken from an animal or human donor processed by a laboratory to make it safe and sterile.Â
What to Expect
The surgery for placing a bone graft usually requires only local anesthesia. Since a minor incision in your gum tissue is made to access the underlying bone that will receive the graft, you may experience some soreness in the area after the surgery. This usually can be managed by anti-inflammatory medication and pain relievers. Though you will soon feel completely back to normal, it may take your body a couple of months for bone integration to take place. The waiting time allows the healing process to achieve the desired result.Â
For information on our dental services at Elite Dental in West St. Paul, MN, call (952) 432-1716 or book an appointment online. You can also visit us at 1525 Livingston Ave, Suite B, West St. Paul, MN 55118.