Tooth loss causes the jawbone to atrophy, reabsorb and shrink over time. This results in less available bone that is suitable for placement of implants.
Bone grafting to the deficient area allows better support for the implant to restore function and aesthetics.
The bone used is either your own bone or obtained from a tissue bank. Special membranes may be used to cover and protect the bone graft. This promotes natural healing and bone growth.
A socket is the area of your jaw where the tooth was occupied prior to its removal. When a tooth has been removed, the bone will benefit from socket grafting. This is a procedure that rebuilds the bone to help maintain height and width. This betters allows for tooth replacement by an implant or a bridge restoration.
After the tooth has been removed and the socket has been cleaned, bone grafting material will then be placed. Sometimes, a membrane will be placed over the bone graft to preserve, protect and promote healing of the graft material.
There is usually a three to four month healing time for the grafted material to fully combine with your natural bone. The healing process should be completed before placing the implant.
The back teeth in the upper jaw are located beneath the maxillary sinus. With age, the sinus expands toward the roots of the teeth. When these teeth are missing, there is often insufficient bone available to hold implants. The sinus lining can be lifted for a bone graft to be placed. This provides enough bone to support implants.
Bone graft and soft tissue healing are enriched by adding L-PRF (Leukocyte Platelet Rich Fibrin). A sample of your blood is collected in a small tubes. These are placed in a centrifuge to spin and separate out the platelets. This forms a natural bandage that is filled with concentrated growth factors. This is directly placed in the surgical site to promote healing.