Bone Grafts

Bone grafting – also known as ridge and sinus augmentation – is a procedure used to build up the bone beneath the surface of the gums. The bones in the upper and lower arch of the mouth are responsible for supporting the teeth. When one or more teeth fall out, bone resorption occurs naturally. When patients decide to replace missing teeth with dental implants, insufficient bone mass can prevent them from qualifying for the procedure. Bone grafting addresses inadequate bone mass by filling in eroded areas with bone harvested from the patient’s own body, or that of a cadaver or animal. The new bone helps promote new bone growth that will eventually support a dental implant.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I a candidate for dental implants in Riverside and Corona?

You may be a candidate for dental implants if you are missing one or more teeth. You’ll need a complete surgical consultation with x-rays to determine whether you are in good health and have adequate bone structure to support dental implants. In some cases where the bone is not dense enough to support an implant, surgical bone grafting may make it possible to support one in the future. It is also important to ensure you do not have any existing health conditions, such as gum disease, that could cause complications with your implants.

What should I expect during a Riverside and Corona dental implant procedure?

If your oral surgeon determines that dental implants are right for you, expect the procedure to require multiple visits over the course of several months. The first treatment visit is the one when implants will be surgically placed within your jawbone. You’ll be sedated and under anesthesia during the process to ensure your comfort. Once the implants are in place, an impression will be taken and used to form crowns or dentures that will be secured to implant abutments above the gum line. The implants will need to heal for a period of 6 to 9 months before you can return to have your final crowns or dentures placed.

What should I expect during the recovery period?

Dental implant placement is a surgical procedure that requires a period of recovery. During this time, it is common to experience some swelling and soreness, as well as bleeding and minor bruising near the surgical site. Your oral surgeon will recommend eating only soft foods during the first several days following implant surgery. It is also important to follow all instructions for post-surgical care, including cleaning the surgical site and using any medications as prescribed. Be sure to contact your surgeon if you experience any fever or discomfort that worsens after a few days.

Socket Grafting

Every tooth root is secured into the alveolar part of the jaw bone. This alveolar or “tooth supporting bone “, provides a strong foundation for healthy tooth roots during chewing function. A decrease or resorption of alveolar bone is a common event following tooth loss. Infection around a failing tooth, thin bone support walls or damage during extraction may result in extensive loss of tooth supporting alveolar bone. Delayed repair to rebuild post extraction bone loss can be invasive, time consuming and expensive.

A simple, convenient and inexpensive means to prevent post extraction bone loss is the Socket Preservation Graft. These grafts are placed into the tooth socket at the time of extraction. Sterile purified bovine, cadaver or synthetic bone substitutes are placed into the socket to preserve the shape of the alveolar bone and prevent post extraction collapse. The procedure takes only a few minutes and is performed under the same local anesthetic as the extraction. Socket grafts often reduce post extraction discomfort by protecting the socket with a dissolvable covering while healing. Socket preservation grafts heal over three to four months, the same time it takes to heal a normal socket. The healed result offers a greater volume of bone height and width to accommodate a future dental implant. More bone available for implant placement allows the use of larger, stronger implants positioned in the most ideal location for long term health and function.

The benefits of socket preservation far outweigh the small additional cost and play a crucial role in the long term predictability of our implant cases.

What is a Socket?

A socket is the area of the jaw bone where the tooth is anchored. When advanced periodontal disease or injury has caused significant bone loss in the socket area, the tooth socket may need to be reconstructed.

What is Socket Grafting?

The bone which surrounds the tooth socket deteriorates very quickly once a tooth is removed. If a socket continues to be empty after tooth loss, the accelerated bone loss can impact adjacent teeth, and prevent placement of a dental implant later on. Thus, it is important for appearance and health to rebuild the socket at the time of tooth loss.

Socket grafting is a procedure which can rebuild or preserve the bone in the tooth socket, allowing future replacement by a dental implant or bridge restoration. At the time of your dental extraction, if you are unsure whether you will want a dental implant in the future, socket grafting may decrease the rate of bone shrinkage and may allow a dental implant to be placed later on without any other bone grafting procedure.

What is involved in Socket Grafting?

At the time of tooth extraction, all remaining root particles will be removed to leave a clean empty socket. Bone grafting material will then be placed into the socket, which will build it into a firm foundation for reconstruction. There are several types of bone grafting materials available and we will choose the appropriate type to suit your needs.