Bone Grafting Candidates: Who Benefits Most from This Procedure?

One of the most frequent causes of bone loss on the upper and lower dental ridges is tooth loss. Without root structure to support, the bone density steadily diminishes over time. This can lead the remaining teeth to shift out of place, leading to issues with the functionality and health of your teeth.

Bone grafting is performed when a patient is interested in getting dental implants placed but he or she does not currently have sufficient bone density in the area of the gap. During the implant dentistry procedure, a process known as osseointegration needs to take place. This refers to the fusion of the dental implants with the gum tissue and the bone structure. This can only occur if sufficient tissue density exists, hence the need for bone grafting.

Good candidates for bone grafting are people who are in generally fine dental health. It's important that these patients be able to handle oral surgery, and they should not suffer from any systemic problems that would make the bone grafting procedure a risky endeavor.

There are different approaches to bone grafting depending on the dental ridge that will be receiving the dental implants. When the upper dental ridge is being treated, it's generally a good idea to consider a sinus lift surgery, a means of raising the sinus floor and improving bone formation in the process.

In addition to the above concerns, it's important that our team determine if you are a better candidate for harvested donor bone or the use of artificial bone tissue. The harvested donor bone tends to be taken from the patient's own tibia (shin) or hip. The artificial bone tissue is generally considered when harvested bone is not an ideal or viable consideration for the patient.

Having realistic expectations about the oral surgery process is one of the most important aspects to candidacy. Patients need to understand that there is a months-long healing process involved after bone grafting surgery, and that this will delay the eventual placement of dental implants (already a months-long process).

For more information about bone grafting and how it can help you overcome bone loss and prepare for other kinds of dental therapies, we encourage you to contact our team of oral surgery experts today. At Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, our team will work closely with you to ensure that you get the treatment that you need when it is needed most.