For patients who’ve lost one or more teeth, dental implants are often the preferable option for rebuilding their smiles. Not only do they support highly lifelike prostheses that closely mimic your healthy, natural teeth, but also come with biocompatible posts that mimic your healthy teeth roots. This is important for several reasons, not the least of which is the comfort and stability that comes with the more lifelike support of your replacement teeth. However, before receiving dental implants, some patients may require a solution for fortifying their jawbone structure to support them.
Your jawbone after tooth loss
Your jawbone’s reaction to tooth loss isn’t as obvious as the other effects of the loss. This reaction involves the mass, density, strength, and integrity of your jawbone, and can take years before it becomes visibly noticeable. However, in the meantime, your jawbone will grow increasingly weaker because of the reduced stimulation resulting from the loss of your teeth roots. The longer you wait to replace your lost teeth roots, the more significant this jawbone erosion can become, and it may impact your eligibility for receiving dental implants.
A few things about implant placement
Your jawbone structure is vital to the placement and success of your dental implants in several ways. Most importantly, it must have the strength and density to receive the dental implant posts, then successfully bond to their surfaces as it heals. This process, known as osseointegration, is the key to mimicking your healthy, natural teeth roots and supporting your custom restoration with optimal results. Because of this, the state of your jawbone’s health, mass, and density must be thoroughly evaluated before you can receive your dental implant posts and restoration.
How jawbone grafting works
Jawbone grafting is the process of surgically grafting donor bone and/or a biocompatible material to your diminished jawbone structure in order to fortify it. In cases of significant jawbone erosion, this helps boost the strength and integrity of your jawbone to better support your healthy remaining teeth as well as your new dental implant posts. The procedure may differ depending on your specific needs and preference, and whether you require grafting for your lower jawbone (ridge augmentation) or upper jawbone (sinus lift).
Find out if you need jawbone grafting
After losing one or more teeth, your jawbone may grow weak from lack of stimulation. Before placing dental implants, you may need jawbone grafting to strengthen it. Schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.