Most of the time, you can have dental procedures performed without the need for any advance prep work. But in certain cases, you may need to have oral surgery to create the right environment for the procedure — like having a bone graft before getting dental implants.
What Is a Bone Graft? Why Would I Need One?
A bone graft is the placement of healthy bone tissue or a substitute in an area where bone has been lost due to disease or degeneration, or for areas where there just never was enough sturdy bone structure to begin with. It is a surgical procedure that is performed under anesthesia by a dental surgeon.
Bone graft procedures are often required before dental implant procedures. Tooth loss deprives bone of functional stimulation which causes the jawbone to lose its strength and volume as necessary blood flow and nutrients are no longer sent to the area. By placing healthy tissue into the area, a dental surgeon can create the proper environment to increase the likelihood of a successful implant surgery.
Types of Bone Grafts
- Autograft: This is the most common type of bone graft, when healthy bone is taken from the patient’s own mouth and then placed into the area where degeneration has taken place.
- Allograft: A type of bone grafting procedure in which the tissue is taken from a cadaver bone. The tissue undergoes many treatments to ensure it is neutralized and safe for use in another patient.
- Alloplast: The tissue used for the bone graft is a synthetic material.
- Xenograft: This is a type of bone graft in which the donor tissue comes from an animal, most often a cow. It sounds strange, but this type of bone graft is very successful when needed due to the larger amount of tissue that can be harvested.
What to Expect From the Bone Graft Procedure
Our office can perform the bone graft procedure right here in our office. A bone graft is completed under local anesthesia and sedation as necessary to ensure you remain completely comfortable throughout the process. Dr. Kennington and his staff will talk you through all the necessary pre- and postoperative instructions. Sometimes the dental implant can be placed on the very same day, while other cases may require a healing period before implant placement. Either way, plan to have someone drive you to and from your appointment. If you have any questions at all along the way do not hesitate to ask us.
Having a bone graft procedure completed is an extra step in the dental implant process, but it allows you to enjoy all the benefits of this highly successful tooth replacement option. Still have questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact your dentist in Castle Rock!
Meet the Dentist
Dr. L. Blaine Kennington is a highly trusted Castle Rock dentist providing services for patients of all ages. To learn more about bone grafting, dental implants, or to schedule an appointment, you are invited to get in touch with the office at 360-274-9100.