Bone Grafts
A common use of bone grafting is for ridge augmentation. Ridge augmentation can recapture the natural contour of your gums and jaw after the loss of a tooth as a result of trauma, congenital anomalies, infection, or periodontal disease. Achieving an ideal amount of gum and bone as a support to surrounding restorations or implants may require hard and soft tissue reconstruction.
After the loss of one or more teeth, your gums and jawbone may become indented where the tooth or teeth used to be. This occurs because the jawbone recedes when it no longer is holding a tooth in place. Much of this happens in the first 6 months after the tooth is removed, but in many cases, bone loss continues over time.
Bone grafts are most commonly performed using sterile donor bone particles. The advantages of using donor's bone are plenty. Eliminating the need for a second procedure to obtain bone from their own body is paramount for patients. Donor bone acts as a scaffold in the early stages of bone growth and over time they allow a patient’s own bone to grow into the desired space.
Dr. Barona will recommend a specific bone graft procedure and material depending on your individual needs. This will be discussed in detail during the planning stage of your treatment.
Sinus Lifts
Insufficient bone height in the upper jaw or sinuses that have expanded into areas where tooth roots once sat may all make placing an implant in the upper back jaw a challenge.
With a sinus augmentation procedure, however, Dr. Barona can raise the floor of the sinus and add bone grafting material in this area to the bone needed for supporting a dental implant.
To learn more about your options for replacing teeth missing in the upper jaw, contact our office to learn more about dental implants and sinus lift surgery.
