Understanding Bone Grafts For Dental Implants
Posted on: 2 February 2016
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Dental implants offer a great cosmetic dentistry option for people in need of permanent tooth replacement, but some people do not have adequate bone structure for dental implants. If you have this issue, your dentist may recommend bone augmentation before you have a dental implant procedure. Understanding how bone augmentation works can prepare you for your procedure. Here are three things you should know about bone grafts.
Bone Grafts Or Donor Tissue
Your dentist may choose to graft bone from your chin, hip or other area of your body, which will be used to reinforce your jawline and provide a root for the dental implants. If this option isn't right for you, your dentist may choose to use donor tissue from a cadaver for the procedure. Your dentist will review all available options with you ahead of time so you can both decide on the augmentation procedure that is right for you.
Surgical Procedure
For your bone augmentation procedure, you can choose be sedated with IV medication. This should help to alleviate any fears you might have about typical dental procedures, as you will not be awake for the bone augmentation. Your cosmetic dentist will make an incision in the gum line to implant the new bone material, and then he or she will close the incision with the use of sutures. Be sure to discuss the specifics of your procedure so you can be prepared for what will happen.
Healing
Immediately after the procedure, you may experience some pain. Your cosmetic dentist can prescribe pain medication to help manage this, and he or she may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infections at the site of the incision. In some cases, this can take up to 9 months. Your new bone tissue will need time to build up and become stronger before you can have your dental implants put in place. You can request a dental bridge as a temporary option to replace any missing teeth while you wait for the bone to become ready for implants. You should also be sent home with instructions on what you can eat and when you can return back to work after the procedure.
Your cosmetic dentist will be able to walk you through the steps you'll need to follow for your dental implant procedures after your bone graft is completed. Since bone grafting takes time to become ready for implants, it is important to be patient. Be sure to ask your dentist as many questions as possible to ensure you fully understand what to expect from each procedure.
To learn more, contact a cosmetic dentist like Roy B. Guster DDS PC.