Bone Grafting
Learn about Bone Grafting
Dental bone grafting is a procedure that’s used to repair or rebuild bones in the jaw. The most common bone to require grafting is the alveolar bone, which is responsible for supporting your teeth and holding them in place.
Bone loss can occur for various reasons, including gum disease, infection, and trauma. In addition to this, tooth loss can cause subsequent alveolar bone loss. This is because the alveolar bone has nothing to support if the tooth is missing. As a result, it begins to erode, and bone loss occurs.
Conversely, tooth loss can be a consequence of alveolar bone loss too. If the bone begins to erode due to gum disease, for example, it is not able to support the tooth as well as it should. When this happens, your teeth may become wobbly and, without intervention, are likely to fall out.
With bone grafting, however, your dentist can prevent the further loss from occurring and rebuild the bone. This enables the alveolar bone to function effectively and can reduce the risk of losing more teeth in the future.
Do You Have Missing Teeth?
Technically, bone loss begins to occur from the moment a tooth is missing. This means it’s important to access dental services as soon as you notice your tooth becoming loose or wobbly. If you lose a tooth due to trauma, such as an impact, you’ll also want to contact your dentist as soon as possible.There are various options when it comes to replacing missing teeth. You may want to wear dentures or have dental bridges for example. Alternatively, you may decide that dental implants are the right option for you. If so, your dentist may determine that bone grafting is required prior to implants, dentures, or bridges being fitted.
Why Do You Need Bone Grafting For Replacing Missing Teeth?
Not every patient requires bone grafting prior to getting dental implants, bridges, or dentures. However, it’s not uncommon to require this type of procedure before missing teeth are replaced, particularly if you have been missing a tooth for some time or if your bone loss is caused by other factors, such as gum disease.If there isn’t enough bone to support the implant, denture, or dental bridges, it will fail quite quickly. By having bone grafting prior to replacing missing teeth, however, your dentist can ensure that the restorative dental work will have the best chance of success.