Bone Grafting

Dental Bone Graft in Forney, TX

Types of Bone Grafts

Using Your Own Bone (Autogenous Bone Grafts):

Sometimes, the best source of bone for a graft is you! We can carefully take a small amount of bone from another area of your body, like your chin or jaw. This is called an autograft. The great thing about this type of graft is that it contains living cells that help new bone grow.

While this option might sound a bit daunting, it offers the most predictable outcome. Rest assured, we’ll discuss the process thoroughly and answer all your questions to ensure you feel comfortable.

Using Donor Bone (Allogenic Bone Grafts):

In some rare cases, we might recommend using donor bone, or bone that is not your own, which is carefully processed and completely safe! This type of graft can act as a framework, guiding your own bone to grow safely and steadily to fill in the area where it’s needed most.

This option completely eliminates the need for a second procedure to harvest, or gather, your own bone. While the healing process might take a bit longer compared to using your own bone, it is safe and a very effective way to promote bone regeneration for sturdy implant supports!

Using Processed Bone (Xenogenic Bone Grafts):

Another option is to use processed bone from another source, like a cow. The donor bone is thoroughly treated to make sure it is safe and compatible with your body. Similar to donor bone, it acts as a framework for your own bone to grow.

This approach means there is no need for a second procedure, and you get all the benefit with only one oral surgery. The healing time might be a bit longer, but it’s a reliable way to support bone growth and give you the results you need for a great dental implant procedure in the future.

Bone Graft Substitutes

As a substitute to using real bone, many synthetic materials are available as a safe and proven alternative, including:

Demineralized Bone Matrix (DBM)/Demineralized Freeze-Dried Bone Allograft (DFDBA):

This product is processed allograft bone, containing collagen, proteins, and growth factors that are extracted from the allograft bone. It is available in the form of powder, putty, chips, or gel that can be injected through a syringe.

Graft Composites:

Graft composites consist of other bone graft materials and growth factors to achieve the benefits of a variety of substances. Some combinations may include: collagen/ceramic composite, which closely resembles the composition of natural bone, DBM combined with bone marrow cells, which aid in the growth of new bone, or a collagen/ceramic/autograft composite.

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins:

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are proteins naturally produced in the body that promote and regulate bone formation and healing.

Synthetic materials also have the advantage of not requiring a second procedure to harvest bone, reducing risk and pain. Each bone grafting option has its own risks and benefits. Dr. Draper and Dr. Gibbins will determine which type of bone graft material is right for you.

Ridge Augmentation

A ridge augmentation is a common dental procedure often performed following a tooth extraction to help recreate the natural contour of the gums and jaw that may have been lost due to bone loss as a result of a tooth extraction, or for another reason.

The alveolar ridge of the jaw is the bone that surrounds the roots of teeth. When a tooth is removed, an empty socket is left in the alveolar ridge bone. Usually, this empty socket will heal on its own, filling with bone and tissue. Sometimes when a tooth is removed, the bone surrounding the socket breaks, and it is unable to heal on its own. The previous height and width of the socket will continue to deteriorate.

Rebuilding the original height and width of the alveolar ridge is not medically necessary, but may be required for dental implant placement, or for aesthetic purposes. Dental implants require bone to support their structure, and a ridge augmentation can help rebuild this bone to accommodate the implant.

How is the Oral Surgery Accomplished?

A ridge augmentation is accomplished by placing bone graft material in the tooth socket. It is often done immediately after the tooth is removed, to avoid the need for a second procedure later. Next, the gum tissue is placed over the socket and secured with sutures. Drs. Draper Gibbins may choose to use a space-maintaining product over the top of the graft to help restore the height and width of the space created by the tooth and bone loss, and into which new bone should grow. Once the socket has healed, the alveolar ridge can be prepared for dental implant placement.

A ridge augmentation procedure is typically performed in Drs. Draper Gibbins’s office under local anesthesia. Some patients may also request sedative medication in addition.

Sinus Lift

The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. These sinuses are empty, air-filled spaces. Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone. To learn more about this procedure, click here.

Socket Preservation

Preserving Your Jaw Bone after Extraction:

Removal of teeth is sometimes necessary because of pain, infection, bone loss, or fracture of the tooth. The bone that holds the tooth in place (the socket) is often damaged by disease and/or infection resulting in deformity of the jaw after the tooth is extracted. In addition, when teeth are extracted, the surrounding bone and gums can shrink and recede very quickly after the extraction resulting in unsightly defects and collapse of the lips, and cheeks.

These jaw defects can create major problems in performing restorative dentistry whether your treatment involves dental implants, bridges or dentures. Jaw deformities from tooth removal can be prevented and repaired by a procedure called socket preservation. Socket preservation can greatly improve your smile’s appearance and increase your chances for successful dental implants for years to come.

Several techniques can be used to preserve the bone and minimize bone loss after an extraction. In one common method, the tooth is removed and the socket is filled with bone or bone substitute. It is then covered with gum, artificial membrane, or tissue-stimulating proteins to encourage your body’s natural ability to repair the socket. With this method, the socket heals eliminating shrinkage and collapse of surrounding gum and facial tissues. The newly formed bone in the socket also provides a foundation for an implant to replace the tooth. If your dentist has recommended tooth removal, be sure to ask if socket preservation is necessary. This is particularly important if you are planning on replacing the front teeth.