Do you have extensive damage to your mouth because of tooth decay or gum disease? If the answer is yes, then you need the help of a restorative dentist. If the damage is too severe, you may need to have a bone graft done before restorative work can begin. Dental bone grafts sound serious, but they lay a firm foundation for restorative work.
What Is A Dental Bone Graft?
A dental bone graft works just like other bone grafts. A dentist uses it to restore a part of your bone structure that is weak or needs rebuilding. In the dental procedure, a dentist will remove a piece of your jawbone. He or she might also remove bone from other parts of your body, such as your hip. Dentists can also get them from other sources, such as cadavers. There are artificially made grafts as well.
The dentist will, then, move the piece of bone to your jawbone so it can grow there. You need dental bone graft material to restore your jawbone and prepare it for implants.
Reasons for a Dental Bone Graft
There are several reasons you may need a bone graft. The most important is you do not have enough bone left in the area to support a dental implant. Dental implants screw into the jawbone. If there is not enough bone left at the site, the implant will not be successful. Often, this happens when dentists are restoring a tooth that has been missing for a while.
Over time, the body doesn’t think you need the jawbone in that spot anymore. The body begins to remove pieces of the jawbone in the empty socket to use somewhere else. This procedure can restore the jawbone to its original, stronger state so that you can place an implant there.
Gum disease is another reason. Gum disease creates pockets of infection. Over time, these pockets can lead to gum tissue loss, tooth loss, and bone loss. When a periodontist is cleaning out a gum infection, he or she can also place bone grafts. These grafts prepare the jawbone to receive implants.
The Procedure and Dental Bone Graft Recovery
A bone graft procedure is not that difficult to do. On the day of the procedure, the dentist makes an incision in your gums to access the bone underneath. He or she places the bone graft into the jaw underneath the gums. Then, he or she places a membrane over the graft. After that, the dentist sutures the gumline closed. You may have a little pain at the suture site for a few days.
You may wonder how long it takes to recover from a bone graft.
It will not take you that long at all. If you had a local anesthetic, you will be fine to return to work or school. If you needed to have a general anesthetic, you may want to go home and rest. You will be fine to return to work or school the next day. It may only take a day for you to recover.
However, your jaw will need more time. It takes time for your bone to regrow, even with a graft. You should expect to wait several months for a graft to fully regrow your missing jawbone. Then, you can begin the implant procedure. When it is complete, you will have a new tooth that looks much like your old one.
Let’s Talk More About a Bone Graft and If It’s Right For You
Are you looking for a dentist who does dental bone grafting in West Orange, NJ? Contact Dr. Paul Feldman at Suburban Essex Dental. We are in Essex County and Dr. Paul Feldman has been voted Top Dentist in the NJ Monthly for the past 7 years.
Come join our Suburban Essex Dental family of patients.
