Bone Grafting: Types of Bone Grafting Techniques and Risks

When looking for a suitable dental restoration treatment, you have several dental prostheses to choose from. But before a dentist can perform any dental procedure, a thorough dental diagnosis is essential.

A dental diagnosis ensures that the dentist understands your dental condition fully and that you’re fit for a specific dental procedure. Otherwise, the dentist may risk performing the wrong procedure, leading to serious complications.

If you’ve lost a tooth, it’s crucial to replace it as soon as possible, as any extended delay can lead to jawbone loss. Within the first two to three years after a tooth extraction, a patient loses about 40% to 60% in bone volume. After that, the bone continues to deteriorate at a rate of 0.25% to 0.5% per year for the rest of a patient’s life.

Losing a considerate amount of bone volume makes you unfit for specific dental cosmetic treatments such as dental implants. If your jawbone is too soft or thin, it may cause the implant to fail. If you’re considering a dental implant but don’t have enough jawbone mass, you dentist near you may recommend undergoing a bone graft procedure.

What Is Bone Grafting?

It’s a surgical procedure that seeks to repair and rebuild lost, diseased, and damaged bones. In other words, it provides a solid and stable foundation for specific dental procedures, such as dental implants.

Bone grafting can be performed in any part of the bone where there is significant bone loss. The bone tissue required for the procedure can either be removed from other parts of the patient or donated from cadavers.

Types of Dental Bone Grafting

Below we will discuss three major types of bone grafting in dentistry.

Socket Preservation

After tooth extraction, it’s possible that the lost tooth socket will be damaged. A tooth socket preservation graft is a common type of bone grafting used to fill an extraction socket with new grafting materials. After putting the grafting material, the dentist may cover it up with an artificial membrane with unique proteins that stimulates your body to repair the socket.

For best results, a socket preservation graft should be performed immediately after tooth extraction. Besides preventing bone loss, it will improve the chances of successful dental restoration solutions such as dental implants. Following a socket graft procedure, you’ll be ready for a dental implant within 4 to 6 months.

Block Augmentation

This type of bone grafting is designed to reconstruct severely resorbed alveolar ridge. A block bone graft is only necessary if a patient has significant defects in the jawbone. For the procedure, the dentist may have to harvest a small block of bone from the back of your jaw.

The blocks are then fitted with osteosynthesis screws and smoothened to avoid soft tissue injuries and irritation. The blocks may be covered with bone grafting materials to fill any gaps and protect the area from resorption.

Lateral Ridge Preservation Graft

These grafts are used to lengthen the width of the jawbone to accommodate a dental implant. Like a socket preservation graft, a lateral ridge graft can take about 4 to 6 months to heal.

How Much Bone Grafting Will I Need?

The amount of grafting that you’ll need depends on the severity of the bone loss. Before the procedure, your oral surgeon will examine your condition and determine the exact amount of bone you need. For most grafting techniques, the grafting material is removed from a patient’s bone, synthetic sources, or a tissue bank.

Risks of Bone Grafting

While bone grafting is considered safe, it does come with some rare risks. These include:

• Infection
• Infection from the donated bone
• Bleeding
• Complications from anesthesia
• Blood clotting
• Nerve damage
• Delayed healing

Some factors such as old age, underlying medical conditions, and using donor tissue can increase complications. Therefore, make sure you tell your dentist if you have any medical problems. Immediately contact your oral surgeon if you experience any persistent side effects or complications after a bone grafting surgery.

Schedule a Bone Graft Consultation

If you need a bone graft treatment or have any questions regarding bone grafting, Schedule a dentist appointment at  Quincy Dental Associates today to schedule your consultation.