In order for you to have a lost tooth replaced with a dental implant, your jawbone must be healthy enough to support the implant. Tooth loss that remains untreated for a length of time can result in bone degeneration, making implant treatment impossible without bone augmentation treatment.
So what is bone augmentation and what should you expect?
Bone augmentation
Bone augmentation refers to a technique used to rebuild the density of the bone so that it is strong enough to support dental implants. The bone used for the graft can be your own or processed bone obtained from a cadaver. Once the graft has been placed in situ, it takes a few months for it to fuse with the jawbone. Eventually the bone cells in your jawbone will grow around the graft, forming a stable platform into which the implant can be fixed. Ultimately, it can take nine months or longer before you can have the final implant procedure carried out.
The bone augmentation procedure
If your dentist decides that you will need a bone graft before you can have implants, you will need to attend the dental clinic to have a CT scan of your jaw. This provides the dentist with a 3D image of your jawbone.
When the graft is taken and implanted, your jawbone will be numbed with local anaesthetic. An incision will be made in your gum at the graft harvesting site and a small block of bone tissue will be removed. The hole left by the tissue extraction will be covered and stitched.
The graft will be secured in position with small titanium screws, a small quantity of bone marrow will then be placed around the graft. A membrane will then be placed over the graft and the incision will be stitched closed.
When the graft procedure has been completed, your dentist will give you pain medication and antibiotics. You will need to avoid placing any pressure on the graft site during the healing process. The sutures used to close the incisions in your gum are usually self-absorbing and will gradually disappear over the course of a week or two. If at any point in the healing process something seems to be going wrong, don't hesitate to go to an emergency dentist so you can make sure your graft is taking.
When your jawbone has accepted the graft and there is sufficient bone tissue to support an implant, you will be able to undergo the implant procedure.
If you are hoping to have your smile corrected through the use of implants but your jawbone density has deteriorated, a bone augmentation procedure may be necessary. For more information and advice on this procedure, have a chat with your dentist.
