Bone Grafting
A bone
graft is a surgical procedure that replaces missing bone with material from the
patient's own body or an artificial, synthetic, or natural substitute. The graft
not only replaces missing bone, but also helps your body to regenerate its own
bone. This new bone growth strengthens the grafted area by forming a bridge
between your existing bone and the graft material. This bone loss can be
reversed. Over time your own newly formed bone will replace much of the grafted
material.
Over a
period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is
reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and
quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations,
most patients are not candidates for placement of dental
implants.
We now
have the ability to grow bone where needed. This gives us the opportunity to
place implants of proper length and width, and it also gives us a chance to more
effectively restore esthetic appearance and
functionality.
