Bone Grafting

Bone loss is a very common dental condition seen after the extraction of teeth. Over a period of time after teeth removal, the jawbone atrophies due to lack of stimulation. This condition often leaves poor quantity of bone for placement of dental implants. Fortunately, we have the ability to grow bone where needed. Bone grafting allows the patient with inadequate bone the opportunity to restore their missing teeth by placing implants of the proper length and width as well as improve dental aesthetics.

Bone grafting allows the ability to rebuild implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. The bone used in bone grafting procedures is either obtained from a tissue bank or your own bone. In many cases, we can use allograft material to implement bone grafting for dental implants. This bone is prepared from cadavers and used to promote the patients own bone to grow into the repair site. It is quite effective and very safe. Synthetic materials can also be used to stimulate bone formation. In many cases chemicals from your own blood are used to accelerate healing and and promote bone formation in grafted areas. 



Sinus Lift and Bone Graft Procedures
Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. Special membranes are routinely utilized under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This process is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration. 
The maxillary sinuses are empty cavities and are located behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. It is common for some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When that is the case and these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth after healing. Since dental implants need bone to hold them in place, a very thin sinus wall makes it impossible to place dental implants. This condition is remedied by a common procedure called a "Sinus Graft" or "Sinus Lift & Graft".  The dental implant surgeon enters the sinus from where the upper teeth used to be. The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and donor bone is inserted into the floor of the sinus. Keep in mind that the floor of the sinus is the roof of the upper jaw. After several months of healing, the bone becomes part of the patient's jaw and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone. The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing loose dentures.
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If enough bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus is available to stabilize the implant well, sinus augmentations and implant placement can sometimes be performed as a single procedure. If not enough bone is available, the sinus augmentation will have to be performed first, then the graft will have to mature for several months, depending upon the type of graft material used. Once the graft has matured, the implants can be placed.

Extraction & Bone Grafting

Extraction & Bone Graft for Implant Placement

Sinus Lift and Bone Graft Procedure

Sinus Lift & Bone Graft for Implant Placement