While dental implants are highly effective, some people don’t qualify for them right away. These folks must receive a bone graft first to become good candidates. Naturally, these facts raise a question: Why get a bone graft before dental implant treatment? It happens that your Springdale dentist can address that point for you. So, please keep reading to learn about bone grafts, how they help dental implants, and how to tell if you need one.
What are Bone Grafts?
You should learn what bone grafts are before you consider why you’d need one. After all, the explanation won’t make sense without a definition.
In essence, a bone graft is a surgery that rebuilds your jawbone with new material. It recreates the missing parts of your jaw by transplanting healthy bone tissue. Through this process, the graft restores your jawbone’s density as it integrates with nearby tissue and stimulates new growth.
There are two types of bone grafts in modern dentistry. The first is an allograft, which uses tissue from a compatible human donor. Type two is an autograft – a kind that gets grafting material from your other healthy body parts.
Why Get One for Dental Implants?
Bone grafts can play a crucial role for some implant patients. Once performed, they allow a jaw to support dental implants and keep them in place.
If you didn’t already know, long-term tooth loss erodes the jaw. This erosion weakens your jawbone until it can’t support implants, handle the placement surgery, etc. However, a bone graft would “undo” these effects by providing your jaw with new bone tissue. The added material increases your jawbone’s strength and density, ensuring it’s ready for implant posts.
Not every patient with long-term tooth loss needs a bone graft. Still, you’ll want to keep the matter in mind as you pursue treatment.
How Do You Know If You Need One?
You can’t tell whether you need a bone graft on your own. To truly know, you’ll need to consult your local dentist and get their input.
Dentists use advanced technology to see if a patient needs bone grafts. For instance, many use 3D cone beam imaging to closely examine your jawbone’s density. A scanner equipped with this imaging can confirm if your jaw is strong enough for implant posts.
Before you look into dental implants, ask your dental provider about a bone graft. They’ll let you know whether your smile needs the preliminary procedure!
About the Practice
Sunset Avenue Dental is based in Springdale, AR. Led by Dr. Bollin, our practice strives to give every patient the smile care they deserve. That means we tailor our preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatments to your mouth’s exact needs, no matter your situation. The result is that our efforts can help your grin thrive for a lifetime! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (479)-419-9991.