Bone Grafting

Major & Minor Bone Grafting

Missing teeth over a period of time can cause your jaw bone to atrophy, or resorb. This often results in poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for the placement of dental implants as well as long term shifting of remaining teeth and changes to facial structure. Most patients, in these situations, are not candidates for dental implants.

Fortunately, today we have the ability to grow bone where it is needed. Bone can grow horizontally in most place in the mouth. The only place we get vertical bone growth predictably is in the sinus. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, but it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

Major Bone Grafting

Bone grafting can repair potential implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease, or injuries. The bone is either obtained from a tissue bank, bovine bone fillers, bone cements or your own bone which can be harvested. Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. In addition, special membranes ( collagen or Platelet Rich Fibrin – PRF) may be utilized that dissolve under the gum or within the sinus to protect the bone graft, as well as encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration, or guided tissue regeneration.

Major bone grafts are typically performed to repair defects of the jaws. These defects may arise as a result of traumatic injuries, tumor surgery, or congenital defects. Large defects are repaired using the patient’s own bone. This bone is harvested from a number of different areas depending on the size needed. The skull (cranium), hip (iliac crest), and lateral knee (tibia), are common donor sites. These procedures are routinely performed in an operating room and require a hospital stay. In cases of advanced facial reconstruction other doctors will be involved with your treatment.