Bone Grafting

Why is bone relevant?

Our teeth are anchored in position by the jaw bone. The part of the tooth we can see in our mouths is the top half – commonly referred to as the “crown” of the tooth. The bottom half of the tooth is known as the “root”, and this sits within the jaw bone, which acts as the foundation and support for the chewing forces we put through our teeth.

Following the loss of the tooth, the biting forces are no longer felt by the surrounding bone, and so the body will start to ‘resorb’ (shrink) the bone here. This is part of the natural process of tooth loss, but it can lead to longer term complications, such as receding gums, movement of neighbouring teeth and limitations in tooth replacement options.

An implant, like a tooth root, needs to sit within bone in order to properly transfer biting forces, as well as being supported and sheltered from bacteria from the oral environment.

Can lost bone be rebuilt?

A bone graft, or “Guided Bone Regeneration” is the process of rebuilding or enhancing the bone in a site.

Here, the site is carefully prepared, and bone particles are packed and shaped, before being covered with a special wrapping (a “membrane”), to secure it in position. The membrane will protect the graft, long enough for your own bone cells to infiltrate into the area and start to produce natural bone. In this way the GBR process acts a bit like a scaffold for your own body’s bone healing.

Bone can come from different sources; human, animal, synthetic or even you. Each of these sources has their own innate advantages and your dentist will discuss these and your preferences with you before carrying out any treatment.

This process is commonly carried out at the same time as your implant therapy, though in some situations we conduct this process first. Your implant dentist will be able to advise you on the best options for your specific needs.

Is Bone Grafting Required for All Dental Implants?

Bone grafting isn’t required for all dental implants. Normally, a dental implant will require a certain volume and density of bone in order to successfully function. If the site in question lacks the appropriate bone, or it would be aesthetically or mechanically advantageous to rebuild the bone, we can use GBR procedures to achieve greater longevity and success in our treatments.

How will I know if a bone graft would be helpful for my implant care?

We use state of the art low dose 3D X-ray scanning to accurately plan your whole treatment process digitally.  This will allow us to visualise the bone volume, location and density prior to starting any physically treatments, so we can prepare you precisely on what we will need and what to expect.

Sometimes, bone grafts can be avoided by using either short or narrow implants – your implant dentist will look at all available and appropriate treatment options for your specific needs.

When you choose Post House Dental for bone grafting treatment, you are choosing a team of experienced dental professionals. We are committed to providing excellence in our implant treatments, and our clinicians have travelled around the world to train with the best in their field, to be able to offer a safe, predictable and excellent service to our patients.

If you have any questions about bone grafting or implant treatments, get in touch with our team, and we will be happy to help you.