Bone Grafting for Dental Implants

When you lose your teeth, several things happen. Some of the effects are more obvious than others. Tooth loss affects your ability to bite and chew food. Your risk of developing oral health issues like tooth decay and gum disease increases. Speaking becomes more of a challenge, and a lisp may develop. If the missing teeth are at the front of your mouth, your smile is affected. Under the gums, changes begin happening to your jawbone. Without teeth, the bone begins to resorb and grow weak. Over time, it starts to change shape, altering your bite, throwing off your alignment and causing other issues. Dental implants have become a very popular treatment for replacing missing teeth. However, for this treatment to be successful, you need to have sufficient bone mass remaining in the jaw to support the titanium rods that are implanted into the jaw. Otherwise, the risk of implant failure increases significantly. At Oregon Periodontics, P.C., we can restore missing bone mass, restoring the strength to your jaw, making dental implants possible.

What Is Bone Grafting?

Bone loss is a natural occurrence after tooth loss. The teeth stimulate the jawbone when you chew. This stimulation triggers the body to send essential nutrients to the jaw and surrounding areas. Tooth loss means less stimulation, and therefore fewer nutrients are sent. Having enough bone mass remaining in the jaw is essential for the success of dental implants. Without it, there will not be enough fusion between the jaw and the implants, raising the risk for implant failure. Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that is done to restore missing bone mass and the strength of your jaw. The procedure involves taking a bone graft material and placing it in the weakened areas of the jawbone. As you heal from surgery, your natural bone fuses to, or around, the graft material, restoring the stability necessary for the placement of dental implants.

Types of Grafts

There are a few different types of bone grafts. Before undergoing a bone graft procedure, we first perform a thorough evaluation of your mouth. This evaluation includes a visual exam as well as digital images. Based on your evaluation, we can determine the best option for you.

•	Autogenous grafts. This type of graft utilizes your bone mass, which is harvested from another area of the body, commonly the hip or tibia. Because it is your bone, there is no risk of disease transmission or rejection of the graft. However, it does involve two surgical sites.
•	Allogenic grafts. An allogenic graft uses bone mass harvested from a donor, a cadaver. With this graft, you only need one surgical site. Donor bone is carefully screened to prevent the transmission of diseases. There is also a slight risk of rejection.
•	Xenogenic grafts. Xenogenic grafts involve the use of bone mass from another species. The bone is highly processed to prevent disease transmission. Much like an allogeneic graft, only one surgical site is needed.
•	Synthetic graft materials. There are various synthetic materials that can be used for bone grafting. If this option is chosen, we will choose the best one to suit your needs.

How Is a Bone Graft Done?

Bone grafting is done under local anesthetic and sedation. Sedation allows you to relax during your surgery and remain comfortable throughout. Surgery starts with small incisions in the gum tissue, exposing the weakened areas of bone in your jaw. The chosen bone graft material is packed into the jaw, and the gum tissue is sutured closed. Healing typically takes several months. Once you have fully healed, we are then able to begin the process of dental implants.

Missing bone mass does not mean that you are relegated to traditional tooth replacement options. With a bone graft, we can restore your missing bone mass, enabling you to receive, and enjoy the benefits of dental implants. For more information, call Oregon Periodontics, P.C., today at (503) 575-7750.

Benefits of

Oregon Periodontics PC

Comfortable operatory experience

Excellent results due to enhanced vision & precision

Rapid healing & minimal discomfort

See our smile gallery

Office Hours
Tuesday–Thursday
8:00 AM–3:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM–12:00 PM

Location
11786 Southwest Barnes Rd Suite 210
Portland, OR 97225-5925

Contact
Office: (503) 575-7750
Fax: (503) 531-3560

Connect
Seattle Study Club