Losing your teeth to age, illness or poor hygiene can be extremely upsetting. After your teeth are gone, you may notice that the jaw surrounding the missing tooth begins to recede and becomes thinner. You may have considered having dental implants fitted but how can you if there is no jaw to attach them to?
So, should you just stick with dentures? No. At Smilemakers Dental Clinic in Southampton, dental implants can be fitted securely even if you have a receded or damaged jawbone, through our bone grafting procedure.
What is a bone graft?
At Smilemakers Dental Clinic in Southampton, dental implants require the patient to come for an initial consultation, so our team can prepare and conduct the required tests.
If it is decided that you required a bone graft to have implants fitted, our team will discuss with you whether you wish to have a bone graft from another bone in your body, known as an autogenous bone graft or whether you would prefer to use an external source. Regardless of your choice, the rate of success in bone grafting in this manner is extremely successful and once your graft has merged to your original jaw line, you can begin the procedure.
Onlay grafting
As previously mentioned, for your surgery to be successful in Southampton, dental implants need as much bone as possible, in order to prevent rejection and promote growth.
If you suffer from conditions like osteoporosis or have poor bone density throughout your body due to another disorder or medication, then having a traditional autogenous bone graft may not be the best solution for you.
In this instance, our dental team will be able to offer you an onlay bone graft. An onlay graft can be used when the gum line does not have enough girth to support implants or simply when the patient does not wish to have an autogenous bone graft. Typically, an onlay graft comprises of cartilage, that can be taken from an area like the ear or the septum.
The graft is then placed over the receded bone and, similar to the autogenous graft, will require X-rays to check if it has restored the bone to a level where implants can be fitted.
Guided bone regeneration
The most straightforward and risk-free form of grafting, Bio-Oss, or a graft using a bovine bone is perfect for patients who do not want to undergo an additional procedure and it has been used for over fifteen years in jaw restoration.
Once fitted, the bovine bone will need time to develop blood vessels and restore the bone. Depending on how much bone has been grafted and on how much is required will impact on how long it will take until your jaw is fully regenerated.
If you want to have implants fitted but are unsure about your jaw’s density, condition or overall strength, contact our dental team today to arrange an initial consultation.
For further information regarding Dental implants please visit our page here or contact us today on 0238044 2626.
