Bone Grafting
Bone Grafting Cheltenham
Bone grafting is needed when there is insufficient bone available to support dental implants.
This can be done by using bone taken from the patient or by using graft materials, known as “bone substitutes”.
Bone loss can be caused by several different factors, including:
- Infection (tooth decay)
- Facial trauma and dental injury
- Gum disease
Many patients prefer using their own bone for personal reasons but may also opt to receive bone from a donor. If the patient chooses to use their own bone, it is usually taken from behind the teeth, chin, or from other parts of the body such as the hip or shin.
Using your bone will require having a donor and surgical site. This can cause additional healing time. However, many patients prefer using their bone as bone graft despite these effects.
Types of Bone Grafting
Bone Grafting
Bone grafting involves adding a bone graft to the affected area. Bone grafting materials can be easily gotten from other areas of the jaw or from pre-packed bone graft mineral.
Socket Grafting
When a tooth is removed, the bone around the extraction site tends to collapse and shrink. However, bone can be preserved and even improved by adding bone material to the site.
Sinus Grafting
The maxillary sinuses are empty pockets at the back of your cheeks, above the upper back teeth. Sometimes, after an upper molar is removed and the socket heals, a thin layer of bone will stay underneath the sinus. If the sinus floor is thin, bone grafting to the area may be required before implants can be placed.
Ridge Augmentation
When teeth have been missing for a long time, the bone left in the area may be too narrow and/or too short for dental implants. In these cases, small and fitted grafts can be placed at the sites to provide adequate bone thickness and height.
Uses of Bone Grafting
- Saves tooth volume for tooth regeneration
- After tooth removal to maintain the space in between teeth
- Dental implants if there is not enough bone in the implant site
Bone Grafting Procedure
Since a small cut is made in your gums to access the bone that will receive the graft, you may feel pain in the site after the surgery.
This can usually be treated by over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications and painkillers, and regular ice therapy.
Then, over the succeeding months, your body will replace the graft with your own bone, reversing the progressive bone loss you have experienced.
Bone Grafting in Cheltenham
We perform safe and effective bone grafting procedures at Dentist On Warrigal Cheltenham.
Request an appointment with your Cheltenham dentist today!
Contact us on (03) 9583 5506 or request your appointment online.
We are located at Suite C, 151 Centre Dandenong Road in Cheltenham.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is bone grafting?
How does bone grafting work?
The grafting material is placed into the space left by a missing tooth. Afterwards, the body will form new bone cells to replace the graft material gradually over several months.
How safe is bone grafting?
This procedure is very safe! There are no safety threats with the grafting material sourced from another part of your bone.