Not every dental implant candidate is a strong candidate, at least not at first. Tooth loss ultimately leads to bone loss in the jawbones. Solid, healthy jawbones are what hold natural teeth in place and they are what’s needed to keep dental implants in place as well. But how can you get dental implants in the same jawbones that couldn’t hold onto your natural teeth? Bone grafting – it’s a technique for regenerating healthy bone in areas that have been eroded by tooth loss and decay. Take a look at how bone grafting can help make you a strong candidate for dental implants.
How Bone Grafting Works
On its own, the human body won’t regenerate bone loss due to tooth loss and gum disease. However, it will accept foreign materials and make it its own.
After your dentist has identified a need for stronger jaw bones to support your dental implants, they will introduce the graft, made of natural or synthetic bone material, to the area of the jawbone that has been compromised by decay and bone loss.
You’ll be given a dose of a local anesthetic to ensure that you feel no pain, as your dentist makes incisions on your gums in order to access the bone underneath. The graft material will be packed into the area targeted for bone regeneration and will be wrapped in a membrane that will serve as the guard rails for regenerated bone.
Considerations
While bone grafting can improve your candidacy for dental implants, in some cases it still may not be enough to make for a strong candidate for implants.
If you work with an oral surgeon to get dental implants placed, rather than a general dentist, you’ll find even more solutions for getting implants despite severe bone loss. For example, only an oral surgeon is qualified to place alternative styles of dental implants such as zygomatic dental implants.
Reserve an appointment with a local dentist to learn more about your options for bone grafting in San Antonio, TX.