Article was medically reviewed by Dr. Marek Salka “
22nd February 2019
A dental implant looks and functions as a regular tooth. It has made the lives of many patients much simpler. With them, people are rediscovering the comfort and confidence to eat, speak, laugh and enjoy life.
Dental implants are changing the way people live! For a very long time, people missing one or more teeth couldn’t live their lives fully, because they weren’t able to do all the activities as they used to do before. They couldn’t smile confidently or enjoy their favourite meals.
If you would like to get the full mouth reconstruction, you should make sure that you understand all the treatment details and are aware of the potential threats.
One of the medical procedures you maybe didn’t think about as the part of dental implant treatment, is bone graft. We prepared an article about this treatment where we will answer all the questions you may have.
What is bone graft?
After you will choose a dental clinic where you would like to have your dental implants done, they will invite you for an initial consultation.
During this consultation, it may happen that the dentist will recommend you to have a bone graft for dental implants.
Bone grafting is basically the transplant of bone tissue. It is a beneficial medical treatment which fixes the damaged or absorbed bones. In general, it is a medical technique used to fix problems with bones or joints.
It is a surgical procedure for growing bone around the place where the bone loss or fracture is. Bone graft is needed for successful implant treatment because it can ensure the stability of the dental implant.
Do you want to get your dental implants in less than 48 hours? Learn more about the method – immediate loading.
Why do you need a bone graft?
It may happen that you need to undergo a bone graft because your jawbone volume and quality is not sufficient to keep the implant stability. If your jawbone doesn’t provide a sufficient environment for a dental implant, it may cause that the implant surgery will fail.
Every dental implant consist of 2 pieces:
A) A metal cylinder
This piece is placed into the jawbone. It should function like the root of the tooth.
B) An abutment
The second part is screwed into the first piece. Later on, a dental replacement (crown) is placed on the abutment.
Types of bone graft
If you need to undergo bone graft surgery, there are several types. All of the types provide a framework where new bone can grow and help stabilize the implant. You should definitely talk to your doctor about options that will work best for you.
● Alloplast
This bone graft material is synthetic and it is usually composed of a combination of hydroxyapatite and calcium sulphate. Dentists sometimes use these materials after tooth extraction to preserve the socket. Some oral surgeons do not recommend using a synthetic bone graft prior to a dental implant.
● Alograft
In this option, the surgeon uses bone from a deceased donor or a cadaver, which was cleaned and stored in a tissue bank. This type is used by minor grafting procedures.
● Autograft
Autograft means that the bone comes from inside of your body. For these purposes, bone from your ribs, hips, or wrist can be used. The material used for dental bone augmentation can be obtained also from different parts, such as your hip, chin or shin bone.
If the dental specialist needs to use the bone from your hip, you may need to have another surgery.
● Xenograft
The last type of bone graft material is called xenograft. In this option, the bone is usually taken from animals, such as cows.
When is bone grafting for dental implants required?
Although they are often used, bone grafts are not always necessary for dental implant surgery. For successful full mouth reconstruction surgery, the patient needs to have a solid base for the implant. It is needed because of the human action – chewing, which makes great pressure on our bone and implants as well.
If the volume and quality of the patient’s jawbone are not sufficient, it may happen that the dental implant can fail. In this case, the patient needs to have bone grafting surgery before the dental implant treatment.
Enjoy The New Smile In As Little As 48 Hours!
First of all, the dental surgeon will take either bone (your own or from a donor) or synthetic material and he will graft it onto your jawbone.
In Smile Clinic, the dental implants surgery can be done in the same day as the bone graft is made. In our clinic, we use special dental implants and materials, which are suitable for this. So it total, you should have your new smile ready in 48 hours.
In other dental clinic, the patient needs to wait several months, while the graft creates enough new and strong bone. Quality and quality is really important to make the implant stable and secure. Once the bone graft is complete, the rest of the dental implant treatment can be finished.
Sometimes, if a patient needs to have only minor graft, the procedure might be
done at the same time as the implant surgery. Your dental specialist will make the final decision.
As with any surgical procedure, it is important to discuss your personal medical history and all the risks and benefits of the surgery with your dental specialist.
Does the bone graft affect the whole dental implants treatment length?
If you need to have bone graft (not the minor one), the whole process of dental implant treatment will be longer. This dental treatment requires several steps and procedures, and when the additional step is needed, the length will be longer.
In Smile Clinic – Dental Holiday, you can have the full mouth reconstruction in 48 hours. We are using the immediate loading method and you can get your new smile in very short time.
Even if you do not have enough bone, the dental implants surgery can be done in the same day as the bone graft is made. In our clinic, we use special dental implants and materials, which are suitable for this. If you are interested in getting your dental implants in 48 hours, please contact us.
What will happen after the bone graft treatment?
After the treatment, you will probably experience swelling of your gums and possibly face. Moreover, you can experience potential bruising of your skin and gums, minimal bleeding, and pain and discomfort.
If you observe that any of these signs are too excessive, you can contact your doctor to give you a piece of advice or prescribe you pain medication. Like any surgery, a bone graft requires a period of healing time.
Dental Bone Graft Complications
Like any surgery or medical treatment, even though the bone grafting for dental implants is a safe treatment, some health complications or risks may appear.
These are the most common ones:
● Damage of your natural teeth, blood vessels or nerves
● Numbness
● Tingling in your gums, lips or cheek
● Sinus problems (with upper jaw implants)
● Infection
● Swelling, pain, bruising
It may sound scary, but it’s perfectly fine when done by a licensed and experienced professional. Furthermore, this procedure is really needed in order to have a successful dental implant, which will last for a very long time.
As it is with any medical treatment, before choosing the dental clinic, make your own research and check the overall quality of the specific medical facility. You can use for instance Global Clinic Rating, which assesses clinic data in for areas – facility, services, patient feedback and expertise.
Did you find this article useful? Are you missing some information connected to dental implants or bone graft? Please, let us know in comments, what kind of information are you missing.
Sources
- Hyun-Suk Cha, Ji-Wan Kim, Jong-Hyun Hwang and Kang-Min – Frequency of bone graft in implant surgery – source link
- Authority Dental Group – Tooth Bone Graft For Dental Implants: Surgery & Possible Complications – source link
- Dr Katelynne Shepard – Bone Graft For Dental Implants: Understanding The Possibility – source link
- Mayo Clinic Staff – Dental implant surgery – source link
- Brian Krans (medically reviewed by William Morrison) – Bone Graft – source link
- Johns Hopkins Medicine – Bone Grafting – source link
- Cathleen Crichton-Stuart (Reviewed by Dr William Morrison) – What to know about bone grafts – source link
- Dr. Fay Goldstep, DDS. FACD, FADFE – Bone Grafts For Implant Dentistry: The Basics – source link
I have had most of my teeth extracTed more that 3o years ago and my gums will need bone graft work done how much is theasy cost for a full mouth replacement fully inclusive
Dear Eamon,
thank you for getting in touch with us.
I have sent you an e-mail with more information, please check your mailbox and get back to us.
Wish you a nice day
Petra – Dental Holiday