BONE GRAFT & SINUS LIFT IN IMPLANT PLACEMENT

MISSING BONE?

Some people do not have enough healthy natural bone to support dental implants. A dental implant expert can tell you if you need bone augmentation. Natural bone insufficiency can be caused by:

Gum disease
Tooth development defects
Wearing dentures long term
An injury to the face or trauma
Spaces left empty in the mouth after teeth are removed
Dental procedures where efforts were not made to restore natural bone
Several techniques are used to rebuild bone, restore your natural jaw line and smile, and provide a strong and sturdy foundation for implant-supported teeth. Most patients proceed with everyday life and work, often by the next day, and continue throughout the months between dental appointments.

BONE GRAFT

Bone grafting is a safe and highly successful procedure that involves “building up” or adding bone to the jaw by using your own natural bone from another location and/or by using donor, processed, or synthetic bone materials. Bone grafts are often performed in the implant dentist’s office using local anesthesia to numb the areas that will be involved. After the procedure, you will usually be given antibiotics, pain medication if needed, and an anti bacterial mouthwash. Avoid eating certain foods and putting pressure on the bone graft. Your implants will be placed after the grafted bone has fused or become a strong, integrated part of the existing bone. The integration may take three or more months, depending on the location of the graft and the density of the bone.

SINUS LIFT

Upper back teeth are among the most difficult to restore. When the back teeth in the upper jaw are missing the sinus cavity becomes larger as the natural bone deteriorates over time. Sinus lift, also called sinus augmentation or sinus elevation, is a bone-augmentation procedure for patients who have insufficient natural bone in this area for dental implant placement. The procedure involves adding bone below the sinus so that one or more implants can be placed. The procedure does not affect speech, intonation, or cause sinus problems. After the bone has been given time to develop, usually for approximately four to 12 months, dental implants can be placed.