When Do You Need Bone Grafting for Dental Implants?

Bone grafting in Houston is a common procedure at Piney Point Dental Implant Center. These treatments build up volume in the jawbone to create a good environment for dental implants. If you need to undergo bone augmentation to improve your candidacy for implant dentistry, you’re certainly not alone — many people need to have a bone graft or sinus lift. Whether caused by injury, periodontal disease, genetics, or any other factor, tooth loss leads to jawbone degeneration. That’s because once the tooth is lost, if it is not replaced by a dental implant promptly, the jawbone senses that it’s not being used. Its nutrients are then sent elsewhere, and the volume of the bone gradually diminishes. Further tooth loss is likely to occur alongside the drawn, sunken appearance we frequently associate with missing teeth and old age. Without enough healthy bone structure, the mouth cannot support dental implants.

What Types of Bone Augmentation Are There?

The method of bone augmentation you need depends on whether your bone is too short, too narrow, or both. The location of the missing teeth also affects which procedure you will need. A sinus lift is a procedure that helps create space in the upper back teeth if the sinus has collapsed. You and oral surgeon, Dr. Koo, will fully discuss your treatment plan to ensure you understand which type of bone augmentation you are set to receive, and why. Sometimes, a bone grafting procedure can be performed on the same day that you receive your dental implants. If more substantial growth is needed, however, the patient may have to heal over a period of several months before the dental implant can be placed.

Where Does the Bone Come From?

Most of the time, bone tissue used in a bone augmentation procedure will come from another area of your body, like from healthy bone in the face (often in the lower back jaw) or sometimes from the hip or shin. If we don’t harvest the bone from your own body, donor tissue from a cadaver may be used. And, while it may sound strange, sometimes donor tissue from a cow is used as a bone graft. The one that is right for you depends on your overall health and personal preference.

Bone Grafting at Piney Point Dental Implant Center

At Piney Point Dental Implant Center, we perform bone grafting procedures from the comfort of our office. We use IV sedation to ensure that you remain completely comfortable throughout the treatment, and our cone beam CT scanner helps us provide the most accurate dental implant placement. If your bone grafting procedure can be done on the same day as your dental implant is placed, we will proceed with the implantation. If not, we will give you special post-operative instructions and plan for a time for you to return once sufficient healing has occurred. You will need to take an antibiotic and use an antimicrobial mouthrinse for safe, healthy healing.

Bone Grafting for Dental Implants in Houston

If you need to have a bone augmentation procedure in advance of your dental implants in Houston, don’t worry — the experts at Piney Point Dental Implant Center have you covered. Contact our office to request an appointment today!