BONE GRAFTS
Dr. Aaron Park Performs Bone Grafts in Rochester, NY
What is Dental Bone Grafting?
Dental bone grafting is a common surgical technique that involves adding volume and density to an area of your jaw to regenerate bone. Once the bone graft procedure has been completed, the body’s natural healing process begins, and the grafted bone integrates with the existing bone. This creates a strong foundation for future dental work, such as dental implant surgery. The ultimate goal of dental bone grafting is to help improve the overall health of your mouth.
Who Might Need a Dental Bone Graft?
There are many different reasons why someone might need a dental bone graft.
- Periodontal Gum Disease: Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums that can damage the supporting structures of the teeth, which can lead to tooth loss and instability. This is a common reason for the need of a dental bone graft.
- Injury or Trauma: An injury to your mouth or teeth where some of the bone has been lost is a good reason to have a dental bone graft to replace the missing bone and support the surrounding teeth.
- Bone Loss Due to Tooth Extraction: Bone grafting is often used to reduce the amount of tissue loss that occurs after a tooth extraction.
- Dental Implant Surgery: Prior to a patient undergoing dental implant surgery, a bone graft may be necessary if the patient has experienced bone loss in the jaw where the implant procedure will occur. The reason for this is that there needs to be sufficient bone volume to support the implants, or the implant surgery may not be possible, or may lead to implant failure. Bone grafting can repair the site of the bone loss to make dental implant surgery possible.
Bone Grafting for Dental Implants
If a patient has suffered from bone loss due to gum disease, tissue loss after a tooth extraction, or some sort of trauma to the teeth or jaw, it may be necessary to undergo a dental bone graft prior to receiving a dental implant.
Complete healing following dental bone graft surgery can take three to nine months, although patients will likely feel back to normal within a week or two. Recovery time depends on the type of grafting technique used, the area where the graft was placed, and the patient’s individual healing capacity. Dr Park recommends that patients have a dental implant placed three to six months after a bone graft.
Common Dental Bone Grafting Methods
There are several methods used for dental bone grafting. Autograph and allograft dental bone grafting techniques are typically the most common techniques used.
- Autograft – An autograft takes healthy bone tissue from the jawbone. This type of bone grafting has been used successfully over the years, since it contains bone-growing cells that increases the likelihood of successful healing.
- Allograft – An allograft, or allogenic bone graft, is like an autograft procedure with one difference—it involves using a cadaver bone obtained from a human tissue bank. The dead bone is processed using a freeze-dry method and is used as a framework over which bone from the surrounding walls can grow to fill the void or defect.
- Xenograft – When there is a limited amount of donor bone available, a xenograft is performed which involves a bone from another species—usually a pig or a cow—obtained from an animal tissue bank. The bone is processed at very high temperatures to avoid the potential for contamination and immune rejection. The bone is stronger and lasts longer holding the volume of bone throughout the patient’s lifetime.
- PRF or Platelet Rich Fibrin – Dr. Park will draw a patient’s blood and place it into a centrifuge to gather the healing properties of white blood cells and fibrin from the blood. This fluid is then added to the bone particles to create a bone graft complex that helps regenerate healthy bone faster and with less chance of infection.
Dr. Park is certified to perform dental bone grafting surgical techniques. After a thorough examination, he will better understand your oral health and what problems you are dealing with. This will tell him what type of dental bone graft is right for your situation. To set up an appointment, give us a call at (585) 266-4860.
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