Bone Grafts In Lexington
If you’re interested in dental implants in Lexington at Palmetto Dental Associates, Dr. Caroline Thomas or Dr. Franklin Shull may recommend bone grafting to restore your jaw bone before your procedure. With the aid of a bone graft, you can often get a dental implant even if your jaw bone is compromised, thereby allowing you to smile proudly once again. Contact us now to schedule your appointment right away.
What Are Bone Grafts?
Bone grafts are a procedure that is sometimes needed to prepare for a dental implant. Dental implants are small pieces of titanium that are placed directly into your jaw bone. Over time, they heal and permanently bond with your jaw to function as an artificial tooth root.
Dental implants, however, require a certain amount of jaw bone and bone density to be successful. If your jaw is not strong, wide, or tall enough, you’ll need a bone graft. In this procedure, Dr. Thomas will perform a special surgery, usually in conjunction with a tooth extraction, to place bone granules in your jaw bone. Over time, natural bone will begin to form and heal over the bone graft. This strengthens the area sufficiently for a dental implant. If your tooth has been missing for a long time, you may need more extensive block bone grafting in which case Dr. Shull or Dr. Thomas will refer you to a surgeon specialist for this procedure.
When Are Bone Grafts Necessary?
Bone grafts are necessary whenever a patient doesn’t have a strong enough jaw bone to get a dental implant. Bone grafts are also often placed proactively to preserve the bone foundation site after a tooth extraction.
One common cause of bone resorption is tooth loss. Normally, your tooth preserves the jaw bone, since the bone is stimulated when you bite and chew, but when you lose a tooth, this is no longer the case. The bone is not stimulated, and will begin to deteriorate. If not preserved with a bone graft, you can lose up to 25% of the jaw bone mass within a year of tooth loss.
Some other health conditions may also require a bone graft. The best way to find out if you need bone grafts is to contact Palmetto Dental Associates for an appointment in Lexington with Dr. Thomas or Dr. Shull.
Understanding The Bone Graft Process
The bone graft process is pretty simple to understand, and usually takes somewhere between 45 minutes to 90 minutes at our office. To begin, Dr. Thomas will clean and numb your mouth. Then, she will use special surgical instruments to open up the gums and pack special bone granules into your jaw bone.
After this, a special membrane “bandaid” will be placed to help the site heal properly. Dr. Thomas will clean and sanitize the area, then suture it closed. After this, you’ll be sent home with some healing and recovery instructions.
Bone Graft Aftercare – What To Expect
A dental bone graft is a simple procedure with a relatively short recovery time. Dr. Thomas or Dr. Shull will give you a set of instructions to follow as you recover. You will likely experience some mild discomfort and bruising over the next few days.
You can take pain relievers like Tylenol to help with discomfort. Dr. Thomas and Dr. Shull will prescribe antibiotics, so make sure to take them as directed so that you’ll minimize your risk of an infection.
Your mouth will feel normal within a week or two. However, it will take several months for the bone graft to fully heal. It takes time for natural bone to grow over your graft, and to strengthen your jaw. Make sure you come into our office for all of your scheduled follow up appointments so that Dr. Thomas or Dr. Shull can check on your healing progress and let you know when you are ready for implant placement.