Bone Grafting Overview
Dental implants are increasingly becoming a mainstream alternative to dentures and dental bridges when it comes to replacing missing teeth. Many patients in Crystal Lake and surrounding areas are good candidates for dental implants. However, in some instances, there may not be enough bone mass in the jaw to support implants. In such cases, bone grafting can work to prepare the jaw to receive dental implants.
Why Should Bone Be an Issue?
As people age, they typically develop some loss of bone mass throughout the body, including the jaw. Bone loss in the jaw can also be accelerated when teeth are missing. The body knows when teeth are no longer present, and no longer grows bone in the affected area.
With dental implants, because they are placed surgically in the jaw, once they are in position, the body knows that bone must grow once again. However, you need to have enough bone to anchor the implant in the first place.
How Much Bone?
Usually, there needs to be at least a millimeter of bone around the implant. If the implant is adjacent to another implant, there must be three millimeters, and if next to an existing tooth, two millimeters. As to height, there must be enough bone to completely submerge the implant without affecting the nerves or the sinuses.
If not enough bone is present in the jaw, you will need bone grafting to receive dental implants.
Types of Bone Grafting
With bone grafting, bone is often taken from other areas of your body and used to supplement the bone in the jaw. This use of your bone is known as an autograft. When the bone is from a human bone donor, this is an allograft. Bone taken from an animal is a xenograft (in other words, a bone grafting using material from an organism that is genetically dissimilar to humans).
Ideally, Dr. Pottorff will perform bone grafting and dental implants treatments at the same time. Sometimes, though, it is necessary to allow some time for the grafting to heal before placement of the implants. The timeline here is crucial because if too much time passes between the bone grafting and the installation of the implants, the bone could end up being re-absorbed. Dr. Pottorff and his team will monitor your healing for the proper timing of the implant surgery. Timing is essential to minimize reabsorption of the bone.
Contact Us to Learn More
If you’re in good dental health, but lack sufficient bone mass in your jaw to support dental implants, you may benefit from bone grafting. To learn more, or to book a consultation, contact us at Advanced Dental & Implant Care. We service patients for dental implants and bone grafting in Crystal Lake, Huntley, and many surrounding areas. Contact us today at 847-854-1200!
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“We believe providing our patients with a better experience is the best way to ensure they have healthy, attractive smiles that last a lifetime. We go above and beyond to make sure our patients are comfortable, even at the most basic level. We understand going to the dentist can be an uncomfortable experience but with our office, it doesn’t have to be. So when you visit us, you will see what sets our office apart from other dentists and implant specialists. From routine dental care to perfect natural-looking implants and cosmetic dentistry, we promise you will be impressed. Schedule your visit today!”