Losing a tooth might not feel like a big deal, especially if it doesn’t affect your appearance. But there are good reasons to replace it, even if your smile still looks fine. Whenever you lose a tooth, it’s natural that your jawbone will shrink since there’s no tooth to keep it active and strong. The good news is that today’s technology makes bone grafting easy for oral surgeons, helping your jawbone grow back so you can keep your smile for years. Whether you’re considering getting a dental bone graft or just want to learn more, this blog discusses everything you need to know about a dental bone graft.
What’s a Dental Bone Graft?
Jawbone loss can happen for a bunch of reasons, like:
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Accidents (work injuries, car crashes, sports injuries)
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Having benign growths (like cysts or dental tumors)
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Birth defects like clefts
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Gum disease
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Tooth infections
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Aging
You can fix these jawbone issues thanks to procedures such as dental bone grafts. A dental bone graft is a surgical procedure where your dentist helps fix a weak or missing jawbone using healthy bone material.
By performing a bone graft, you can increase the density and volume of your jawbone, which is important for dental procedures, especially if you’re considering dental implants. Bone grafting is often needed when someone has lost a tooth and wants to fill that gap with an implant.
If you put off getting a dental implant for too long, you may require a bone graft to compensate for that loss. The longer you wait, the more bones you’ll need to replace.
Types of Dental Bone Graft Procedures
Here are some common types of dental bone graft procedures:
Socket Bone Graft
A socket is the part of the jawbone where a tooth sits. You might need to fix the socket if you lose a lot of bone in that area due to gum disease or injury.
When you lose a tooth, the bone around the socket starts to break down quickly. If the socket stays empty, the bone loss can affect nearby teeth and make it harder to put in a dental implant later.
Socket grafting is a procedure that helps rebuild or keep the bone in the tooth socket, making it easier to place a dental implant or bridge later. If you’re getting a tooth extracted and aren’t sure about getting an implant in the future, socket grafting can slow down bone loss and help you get an implant later without needing more bone work.
A Sinus Lift
A sinus lift is done when there isn’t enough bone in the upper jaw to support implants. During this procedure, the surgeon makes a small opening in the sinus and fills it with bone graft material while protecting the sinus tissue. This process raises the height of the upper jaw and creates a solid foundation for new bone growth.
Block Bone Graft
A block bone graft is when we use your bone to fill in a gap in your jawbone. Oral surgeons do this when other options won’t do the job. Your oral surgeon usually takes a small piece of bone, about the size of your palm, from your lower jaw near the wisdom teeth or your chin. They then move that piece to the needed area and close everything up. It usually takes about 4 months for the graft to bond with your jawbone before we can place an implant.
Ridge Augmentation
If your alveolar ridges shrink after a tooth extraction, your dentist may suggest ridge augmentation. This procedure rebuilds the alveolar ridges using various tissue types, such as a bone graft. It can help your dentures fit better and keep your oral health in check for the long run.
Materials That Oral Surgeons Use for Bone Grafting Procedures
Bone grafts come from different sources, and here are the main types:
Autografts
Autografts are among the most popular choices for grafting materials because they have great healing properties. They keep living cells from the donor, and they help stem cells turn into bone cells thanks to various growth factors. Since they come from the same person, there’s a very low chance of rejection, resulting in a success rate of over 95%. But they do have some downsides, like causing more trauma, which can affect the patient’s overall health, especially when taking larger amounts of bone.
Allografts
Allografts come from different donors of the same species. They are chosen, processed, and stored in bone banks, where they undergo a thorough screening that includes checking the donor’s social and medical history and various tests. You can get these grafts from living donors. The grafts are treated to prevent immune reactions and disease transmission.
Allografts have great benefits, like plenty of size and shape options, dependable results, and no need for extra surgeries to take bone from another place. However, there’s a small risk of disease transmission from the donor to the recipient, so tests for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and other markers are necessary. It’s also important to recognize that, while rare, new unknown pathogens could still be a concern since current processing might not eliminate them.
Allografts can be absorbed quickly and trigger a stronger immune response. They usually have less blood supply and integration than your grafts. Also, since allografts aren’t standardized because of differences in donor age, gender, health, and processing methods, their characteristics can differ.
Stronger sterilization can lower disease risks but might also affect the graft’s healing by damaging bone cells and proteins.
Xenografts
Xenografts come from donors of a different species from the recipient. They usually have features that help bone growth but don’t break down easily. Often, they’re mixed with growth factors or other types of bone grafts. Many bone substitutes fit this category and can be mass-produced cheaply. Their bone properties differ from those of humans, and how they process them can alter their physical and chemical traits, just like allografts. There’s a chance of spreading diseases and causing immune reactions while using them.
Alloplastics
Researchers have created different synthetic grafts as alternatives to reduce infection worries and cut costs. Synthetic bone substitutes come in various sizes and shapes for bone replacement or soft tissue support. Techniques like changing surface texture, making mineral layers, and using bioreactors for cells help these materials act like the natural environment where bone cells grow.
These biomimetic materials support cell growth and bone formation but don’t have bone-forming abilities. The materials' makeup, shape, structure, and strength are key to effective bone healing, and the body can absorb them and replace them with new bone.
Getting Ready for Your Dental Bone Graft
Before your dental bone graft, get yourself ready both mentally and physically. Here are some tips to help you prepare:
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Talk to Your Dentist or Surgeon
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Set up a meeting with your dentist or oral surgeon to go over:
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Your medical history
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Your current medications
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Any allergies you have
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Details about the procedure
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Any immediate or future concerns
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Follow preoperative instructions
Your dentist or oral surgeon will give you specific instructions to prepare for the procedure, like:
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Fasting before surgery
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Stopping certain medications (like blood thinners)
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Taking specific medications
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Keeping up with good oral hygiene
Post-Operative Instructions
There are different grafting procedures, and your pain and swelling depend on your type. If you have a tooth extraction with grafting, you’ll have stitches in place. Avoid chewing in that area. It’s normal for tiny graft bits to come loose; they might feel like small granules. Don’t worry; most of the graft will stay put.
Sometimes, you’ll have dissolvable stitches, while other times, the doctor will take them out in a few weeks. You might also have a membrane that looks like white plastic. Do not mess with it, and keep it clean by rinsing gently.
Be careful not to hurt the area. Rinse gently and brush the nearby teeth carefully, starting the day of your procedure. If you use a temporary prosthesis over the graft, ensure it doesn’t touch the grafted area. Call us for more guidance if it feels like it’s putting too much pressure on the graft.
What to Do Right After Your Procedure
Hold the gauze pack firmly over the area for 30 minutes, then remove it. If you still have a lot of bleeding, replace it with a new gauze and bite down firmly again. Avoid vigorous rinsing or chewing around the bone graft area, which might lead to more bleeding or harm the graft.
Stick to a liquid or soft diet for the first 24 hours. After that, you can start eating more normally, but not chew directly on the surgical site. Stay away from hard, crunchy, or spicy foods. Take the pain medication your doctor prescribed before the numbness from the anesthesia wears off.
Limit your activities on the day of surgery and ease back into normal routines. Put ice packs on the outside of your face where the graft was done for the first 48 hours to help reduce swelling; keep the ice on as much as you can.
Bleeding
It’s normal to have some slight bleeding and redness after surgery. If you notice a lot of bleeding, gently wipe any old clots from your mouth, then put clean gauze over the area and bite down firmly for several minutes.. Also, try to avoid talking and chewing too much if you’re still bleeding.
Swelling
Swelling is a normal part of recovery after surgery. How much you swell can vary based on the surgery and the person. It’s common to see swelling around your mouth, cheeks, jaws, and under your eyes. The swelling usually peaks 2–3 days after the surgery. You can reduce swelling by using ice packs right after the procedure for the first 48 hours.
Pain
You can check out the pain medication sheet from your dentist’s office. It has all the information you need to handle pain and discomfort after your surgery.
Oral Hygiene
Taking care of your mouth is key to avoiding infections. Start rinsing very gently on the day of your bone graft surgery. You can brush your teeth the day of the surgery, but be careful not to hurt the area with the bone graft.
Vomiting and Nausea
After getting general anesthesia or IV sedation, you might feel nauseous and throw up. To help with this, make sure you don’t take your medication on an empty stomach.
Jaw Tightness
After surgery, feeling tightness in your jaw or having trouble opening your mouth is normal. That will get better with time. Sometimes, you might be shown jaw exercises to help you open your mouth more easily.
Bruising and Discoloration
After surgery, you might see some bruising or discoloration around the surgery site. That is normal and usually goes away in a few days.
Dizziness or Lightheadedness
After getting IV sedation or general anesthesia, you might feel dizzy when you stand up. Make sure someone is there to watch you for the first 24 hours after sedation. Don’t get up too quickly from sitting or lying down, and keep drinking fluids to stay hydrated.
Smoking
Smoking slows down healing and can make pain worse after surgery. To recover well, try to avoid smoking for as long as you can after your surgery.
The Benefits of Dental Bone Grafts
Thinking about whether a dental bone graft is worth it? Here are five great reasons to consider getting one.
Improve Your Facial Appearance
Your jawbone affects how your face looks. Dental bone grafts support your facial bone structure, making you look better overall.
Supporting Dental Appliances
Bone grafts usually come first before getting dental appliances like implants or dentures. When your jawbone strengthens, it can support these appliances and make them last longer.
Strengthening Your Jaw For Chewing
A strong jawbone is important for chewing. Bone grafting can help restore your chewing strength by rebuilding your jawbone. Remember, you’ll need to wait for your new dental implants before you can chew comfortably again, but your jaw will be ready when you are.
Stops Further Bone Loss
Your teeth and jawbone support each other. Even losing one tooth can weaken your jaw and impact your other teeth. Bone grafting can help prevent more bone loss by rebuilding your jawbone and keeping everything stable and healthy. Don’t wait too long to get this done; the sooner you act, the easier it will be to protect your jawbone and teeth.
They’re Affordable
Dental bone grafting costs depend on how much bone you need. After your first exam, your dentist can give you a better idea of the price. Synthetic bone is easier to work with and is a budget-friendly option. Sometimes, your dentist may suggest using natural bone from your body, which can be pricier due to the surgery involved. Your dentist will explain everything to you.
Find an Oral Surgeon Near Me
Over time, missing teeth can lead to your jawbone shrinking or losing density. That often results in not having enough good-quality bone for dental implants and other dental appliances. It can cause your remaining teeth to shift and change the shape of your face. Many patients in this situation can’t get dental implants.
The good news is that we can now grow bone where it’s needed using dental bone grafting. That allows us to place implants that fit properly and helps restore both function and appearance. If you need a bone graft, our Lasting Impressions Dental Spa team is here to help. Contact our office at 818-751-5100 to schedule a consultation with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Encino, CA. Our surgeons will closely examine your situation before suggesting the best treatment options for you.
