Dental Implants and Bone Grafting
by Dental implants in Sugar Land
Posted on 06-11-2022 10:03 am
Dental Implants & Bone Grafting after Tooth Extractions
What bone grafts do we need after tooth extractions & how does it help secure dental implants? Today I’m going to review everything you need to know about this grafting procedure so you can make better decisions before your next extraction appointment. (Cut) So what is bone grafting? A bone graft is a surgical procedure that involves the transplantation of bone tissue. & We can get the transplant from our own body, cadaver bone, animal bone, or synthetic bone.
It is typically associated with dental implant placement but can also be used to help support a complete or partial denture or support a deficient ridge if your getting a dental bridge done. When we extract a tooth, the bone surrounding the tooth will naturally start shrinking (resorbing) both vertically and horizontally. This can become a problem especially if you are considering getting dental implants in the future because we need a certain thickness and minimum height of bone in order for implants to be secure and stable But even if you don’t want an implant, bone grafting still has some pretty big benefits.
For example, If your getting a bridge instead of an implant then we do not want to have a big gap between where Pontic meets your gums. If there is too much bone loss at the extraction site then the Pontic has to be designed to be longer in order to close that gap.
& In a lot of cases, this can look really unnatural and the dentist may have to use pink porcelain or other solutions to make it work. But with a well-placed bone graft, this can all be avoided and you can have a bridge that looks like your normal teeth.
Now if you are getting your teeth extracted for dentures bone grafts can also be extremely helpful. Well-fitted retentive dentures require a good amount of bone, especially on your lower jaw. Bone grafting helps maintain the ridges after the extractions so that we can make a denture that isn’t so loose or wobbly.
How does the bone grafting procedure work!?
Well, first you are going to get numbed up and get the infected tooth removed. This will be done at a dentist or specialist office and you can decide whether or not you want it to be sedated for the procedure. Once the tooth is removed the surgeon will get the site ready for the bone graft.
This involves using a bone file to remove any sharp points in the extraction socket and rinsing the site out with saline to remove any bone spicules. Once the site is properly cleaned of the infected tissue then we are ready to proceed with bone grafting. The material typically comes in a sealed vial and can be mixed with antibiotics before packing the graft into the extraction site.
After, we want to secure the bone graft so that it doesn’t get removed accidentally when you go home. We do this by placing a membrane over the graft and suturing over the space.
If you are getting the implant done later typically we want to wait around 3-6 months for the osseointegration to develop with the bone. However many surgeons prefer to do the extraction of bone graft and implant in one visit. Finally, What is the cost of a bone graft The cost of a dental bone graft will vary depending on the type of graft used and how large the area of grafting is. To graft one extraction socket typically ranges from $500-800/tooth.
If you’re grafting an area with a larger defect it could be $1000 or more depending on the surgery. Of course, the best estimates are going to come with a consultation with your local dentist or surgeon to get a better idea of what they are working with. If you guys have any more questions about bone grafting please leave them down below.