Bone loss is one of the major factors considered in dental rehabilitation.
Changes in the bony dimensions of the jaws can occur due to aging, trauma from an accident, after tumor removal, or after tooth extraction.
There are many materials used for grafting purposes. To date, the data is insufficient to prove the superiority of one material over another. The ideal graft material should remain in place to provide a framework for bone formation and should not resorb quickly. Regardless of the material they fall into one of these categories:
Autogenous bone (bone from self) – Autogenous grafts can be harvested from another area in the mouth, from the hip or from the tibia (shinbone).
Harvesting bone from areas in the mouth are usually completed while patients are sedated or under general anesthesia. The technique involves extracting bone from the chin or the jaw in small blocks. The bone is shaped and secured to the graft site with specialized screws.
Substitute bone is used to fill the surrounding areas. Healing membranes cover the grafts, and once the bone has matured, implants can be placed
Occasionally, patients need larger grafts after tumor removal, bone loss due to aging, or due to trauma. A hip graft can be harvested and used to develop the site for rehabilitation. This is typically completed in our operating room or in the hospital setting. Treatment sequence and planning is coordinated with our network of practitioners to provide the best service possible.
