West Hollywood Dentist

One of the Most Trusted Holistic Dentists in Los Angeles, CA

7865 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-2840

With A quarter century experience in dentistry, West Hollywood Holistic and Cosmetic Dentistry offers most dental treatments in one office. Call us today to schedule your free dental consultation.

Benefits Of Dental Bone Grafting

Bone Graft Dental Implants

Benefits Of Dental Bone Grafting

When there is insufficient jaw bone mass to hold a dental implant securely in place, bone grafting becomes necessary.
Loss of dental bone can be caused by missing teeth and gum diseases such as periodontitis and other systemic diseases.
A piece of bone is removed from another part of your body, such as your hip and transplanted into your jawbone. Alternatively, the commercially available artificial bone may be used.

Some patients seeking to get dental implants will need to get a bone graft beforehand.
During periodontal surgery, the dentist may need to place a bone graft for regenerating lost tooth-supporting bone. He will fold back part of the gum, clean out any infected gum tissue, and bacteria covered calculus.
The bone graft material is then placed. It marries with your body to help build new bone. Most people may not think that bone loss in your jaw is possible. But studies show that gum disease and tooth loss may contribute to the loss of jaw bone.
There are several available types of bone graft, depending on the material used:

  • Autograft-this refers to a bone graft using your bone, usually from your hip bone or the back of your jaw.
  • Allograft- this means a bone graft using bone sourced from a human donor.
  • Xenograft-refers to a bone graft using bone sourced from an animal.
  • Alloplast- refers to bone graft sourced using synthetic material containing calcium, phosphorous and hydroxylapatite.

After bone grafting, it may take several months to grow a transplanted bone that can handle a dental implant.

Why Dental Bone Grafting Is Necessary

  • It is preventative of other dental problems and complications. Dental bone grafting ensures a lot of facial bone restoration, improving on aesthetic value. Patients subsequently enjoy higher levels of self-esteem and confidence.
  • To prevent wasting away of the alveolar bones, whose primary function is to hold teeth in place. When a void is left in an area after tooth loss, the surrounding bone eventually atrophies. This may affect a person’s standard functionality.
  • Dental bone atrophy can, in extreme cases, cause deformity. This would result in the patient experiencing a lot of pain, and even muscular dysfunction.
  • Dental bone grafting is important in ensuring efficient crown and denture placement. For a jawbone to sustain even the most simple procedures, it has to be robust and strong.
  • If a patient has a sinus deficiency or tumor, a graft may be required. In cases where there has been bacterial infection of the patient’s jawbone resulting in atrophy, or misalignment of any kind.

The most common type of dental bone graft is a socket graft. It involves preventing the atrophy of the alveolar bone before it can occur, using an allograft. After a socket graft, you should be ready for your implant in four to six months.
The lateral ridge preservation graft is mostly to increase the jaw bone’s width in preparation for a dental implant. Typically, an allograft is used.
Another type of graft is the block bone graft. This is necessary when there are significant defects on the jawbone. For this graft, a small block of bone is harvested from the back of the jaw. The bone block is put in the defect and held down using small titanium screws.
The sinus lift procedure uses equine bone. The process is useful, especially when a patient needs an implant in the upper jaw, which is not stable enough to hold implants.

The equine bone is perfect because it provides two unique qualities. It takes longer to dissolve than the human bone, and it also creates a scaffold to support the additional growth of bone in the sinus.
Modern-day dental bone grafting has become routine, making use of the latest advanced technology. At West Hollywood Dentists, the procedure has witnessed very high success rates. They are no doubt among the best dentists in town.
Note that post-operative care is critical after a bone graft. This ensures the success of the procedure, subsequently paving the way for implant placement.

See Also: Cost of Dental Implants in Los Angeles, CA

Some post-operation tips to consider include:

  • Avoid vigorous mouth rinsing, or using harsh mouthwash. Touching the wound area with your fingers can introduce germs and bacteria resulting in an infection.
  • After a dental bone graft, the area will be covered with a gauze pad. Ensure it stays in place for half an hour to avoid bleeding. After the anesthesia wears off, there could be some pain at the site. Ensure to take the painkillers prescribed by your dentist.
  • Minimizing your activities for the day and resting will help speed up your healing process. You can place ice packs on the side of the face to prevent swelling..
  • Avoid sudden movements as you may become dizzy. Suddenly standing up after a period of sitting can trigger dizziness as a side effect.
  • Numbness of the lip, chin, or tongue is a common side effect. However, if these symptoms persist, always consult your dentist.
  • Notice any irregular fluctuations in your body temperature. Call your doctor if you notice any cause for alarm.
  • You may feel hard projections in your mouth with your tongue. These are the bony walls that supported the tooth. They should smooth out in time.
  • Apply lip balm to your lips, especially if your mouth’s corners got overstretched during surgery. This is to avoid drying out or painful cracking.
  • A sore throat or some pain accompanying swallowing is a common side effect of a dental bone grafting procedure. This should subside in a few days, however, be sure to mention it to the dentist if they persist.
  • Slight swelling could be experienced. It is normal after the procedure and is usually proportional to the surgery that was done. You may notice more swelling two to three days post-surgery. Be sure to use ice packs on the side of the face where the procedure was done.

Grafting of dental bone is a highly efficient way of correcting a vast range of dental care problems.

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