DO YOU NEED A BONE GRAFT BEFORE GETTING DENTAL IMPLANTS IN RICHARDSON?

Dental implants in Richardson have the potential to replace your teeth so naturally, you don’t even notice the difference between them and your previous teeth once they’ve fully healed. Thanks to advances in dental technology and medical science, dentists are more capable of placing them today than ever before. However, that doesn’t also mean that all patients won’t need a preparatory treatment before they can be viable candidates.

One of these treatments is bone grafts. To learn how they work and how they relate to dental implants, keep reading!

Whenever you chew, you’re not just putting pressure on the visible crown in your smile. You’re also applying pressure on the root that’s deeply embedded inside the jaw bone. That means the supporting bone plays a crucial role in the long-term success of your dental implants and the surrounding oral structures supporting it. Without healthy bone, the implant is doomed to fail.

That’s where bone grafts come in. This procedure is designed to give the implant a more solid base for it to integrate to. By taking a small piece of bone from another area of your body, it can be transplanted onto your jaw bone for greater volume and density. Alternatively, artificial bone can be provided commercially and placed in these areas.

Dental implants are meant to trigger a process known as osseointegration. This is the organic process that occurs when an object, in this case a titanium rod, is placed inside the jaw and allowed to bond with the alveolar bone. Once enough time has passed and the implant has sufficiently healed, an implant-retained crown can be confidently placed on top. While this process takes several months, it’s the best way to confirm that the implant has a stable foundation to last for many years.

During your consultation, the dentist will be able to confirm how much volume your jaw currently has and whether it’s enough to receive an implant. If you’ve had missing teeth or been wearing a denture for an extended period of time, chances are your jaw has shrunk a significant amount. However, you won’t know for sure until you complete this consultation.

While it is not common, there are some cases where the bone graft and implant can be placed at the same time. If you only need minor bone grafting performed, then the implant can be placed during the same procedure, saving you time and money on additional surgeries. However, this is largely dependable on the condition of your jaw bone, so ask the dentist what your options are prior to starting treatment.

Dental implants can be made possible, even when large amounts of bone are missing, thanks to bone grafting procedures. Schedule a consultation today to start building your treatment plan with a dentist in Richardson.