For patients who are considering dental implants, it is important that the jawbone is strong enough to support the implant post. At Prosthodontics of the Carolinas, we want your implant treatment to be a success. If your jawbone is currently too weak for dental implants, Dr. Ralph Hoffmann and Dr. Robert Klink may recommend a bone graft, which helps stimulate bone growth and prepares your jaw for receiving dental implants.
A bone graft is an oral surgery procedure that may be required if your jawbone is not dense or thick enough. During a bone graft, we will transplant a piece of bone from another area of your jaw or body to your jawbone. While we typically see best results with bone taken from your own body, we can also utilize artificial bone material or bone fragments from a tissue bank if needed. Your jawbone then grows together with the grafted bone tissue, creating a stronger, more stable foundation.
You may need a bone graft if your bone density is insufficient to support a dental implant or other types of treatment. After a tooth is lost or extracted, the jawbone begins to resorb, or deteriorate, at the site of the tooth extraction. The resorption must be corrected before the dental implant is placed. While bone grafts are most commonly needed for implant dentistry, they may also be required for certain types of periodontal therapy when bone has been lost due to gum disease.
To learn more about bone grafting and to discover whether dental implants and bone grafting are right for your smile, we invite you to call or visit us today. Our prosthodontists and team are eager to care for your smile!
For more information about bone grafting, we welcome you to call our team and schedule a consultation with our prosthodontists.