Replacing Bone for Dental Implants
Dental implants are an excellent solution for a wide range of edentulous patients – from those missing a single tooth to those in search of full dentures, and anywhere in between. Single crowns, partial bridges, full arches of dentures: dental implants can support them all. In order to do so, however, a candidate for dental implants must have a minimum amount of good, healthy bone mass in which they implants can be placed and become a part of the jaw.
For those who don’t have that baseline bone mass required for dental implants, there are two options: in some cases, there may not be enough bone mass present for traditional implants, but enough for mini dental implants, which have a thinner profile and as such require a lesser amount of bone mass for implantation. In cases where there is not enough healthy bone mass for mini dental implants or in which the smaller implants won’t support the appliance they would retain, bone grafting may be recommended as a means to creating more healthy bone mass ahead of the implantation of dental implants.
What Causes Bone Loss in the Jaw?
While bone loss in the jaw can be the result of aging and/or the receding of bone in cases where teeth have been lost or removed and not replaced, bone loss is most commonly the result of advanced gum disease. While the first stage of gum disease known as gingivitis is reversible if caught early and treated promptly, gum disease can greatly jeopardize bone health if left untreated. The advanced stages, which include periodontitis and advanced periodontitis, can lead to bone loss in the jaw as well as teeth that fall out or require removal.
For this reason, many people who have suffered tooth loss due to advanced gum disease are the very same patients who then require dental implants to replace those teeth; the complication that arises is that the cause of the tooth loss also makes their replacement more complicated due to less available bone mass for the utilization of dental implants. Bone grafting, then, can offer a solution for those who have lost bone mass in the jaw due to advanced gum disease as a preliminary step in preparing for dental implants.
Bone Grafting for Dental Implants
Types of Bone Grafts
Bone grafts can utilize a number of different materials to both add instant mass to the
area that requires it as well as helping to stimulate natural bone growth. Different materials tend to be preferred by different surgeons and in different areas of the body, but some of the most common types of bone grafts include:
- Autograft – this is a form of bone grafting that uses bone taken from the patient’s own body. For dental uses, this bone is usually harvested either from the hip or the back of the jaw itself)
- Allograft – like autografting, this uses bone mass harvested from a human body, but in this case the material comes from another person and not the patient
- Xenograft – this is a form of bone grafting that utilizes bone mass taken harvested from an animal (most frequently, cows are used here)
- Alloplast – this is a form of bone grafting that does not use naturally occurring bone tissue but rather synthetic materials that mimic the composition of bones
In preparing for the process of bone grafting, your dentist or oral surgeon will talk to you about the pros and cons of each of these types of bone grafting for your own unique situation. Typically she or he will recommend a type that they think will work best; asking questions and expressing concerns and preferences is a good way to be an active participant in this process.
Guided Tissue and Bone Regeneration
During the bone grafting process, your dentist or oral surgeon may also opt to introduce Special proteins designed to help regenerate new tissue. At the same time, your dentist or oral surgeon may choose to insert a thin piece of mesh between the grafted bone and the
soft tissues that surround it. This will help to both regenerate new tissues, both hard and soft and, furthermore, prevent the soft tissues of the gums from growing over the graft. This is also referred to as Guided Bone Regeneration in cases where bone is the primary tissue that needs to be regenerated in advance of a procedure like the installation of dental implants. All of these processes are designed to not only graft new tissues into the area but to further support the natural regeneration of these tissues, as well.
How Can I Prevent Bone Loss from Happening?
One of the most meaningful steps you can take to prevent bone loss from occurring in the future is to take good care of your gums today. By maintaining good oral health – brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and keeping up with regular biannual dental visits – you can actually prevent one of the most common reasons for tooth and bone loss in adults.
If you begin to notice some of the warning signs of gum disease, which include sore, inflamed gums that may bleed after brushing or flossing; sensitive or loose teeth; a generalized soreness of the mouth; or even bad breath that continues even with good oral hygiene, it’s important to contact your dentist right away to be evaluated for gum disease.
Particularly because treatment in the early stages can not only ward off progression of the disease but actually reverse it, being seen and treated right away can resolve the issue with as little as a good dental cleaning by your dental hygienist. She or he will likely provide some simple instructions for easy at-home care, as well, which may include the use of a mouthwash or antibacterial rinse. In most cases, however, a dental cleaning and daily brushing and flossing is enough to nip gum disease in the bud.
For more information about preventing or treating gum disease, dental implants, or bone grafting, please call our office today to set up an individual consultation.