Bone and Tissue Grafting
Having healthy bone and gum tissue is key in having a healthy mouth. Gum tissue is the soft skin that surrounds the base of your teeth and bone is what holds your teeth in. If the gums are unhealthy and become infected or diseased, will over time deteriorate your bone levels. Depending on your physical health and home care habits, this deterioration can go on for a long time or happen quickly. The end result is loose teeth or teeth that end up needing removal because they are unable to be saved.
Bone and gum tissue go hand in hand when restoring your smile due to lost or missing teeth.
Having a healthy and solid facial bone structure helps maintain youthful esthetics. If over time, you have lost teeth or had teeth removed, this has most likely affected not only your oral health but also your facial appearance. Cheeks can appear to be sunken in, lips do not look as full and it’s all because the structure supporting them is gone or greatly diminished. In the past patients were often not candidates for implants due to not having enough bone to place the implant in. However, we are thankful for a procedure, bone grafting, that allows us to replace bone and complete implant procedures with great success.
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that replaces missing bone. This is widely used by dentists and oral surgeons with continued success. Bone grafting is possible because bone tissue has the ability to regenerate completely if provided the space into which it has to grow. When a tooth is removed, this can create that space.
A gum or tissue graft may be necessary for a few reasons. For one, it can be completed as a cosmetic procedure in instances where it will enhance the appearance of a smile by having more contoured tissues. Most often it is done out of necessity, which is to protect your teeth from the damage gum disease or recession has created. Recession is when your gums pull away from the tooth over time, exposing more of the tooth and the tooth’s root if left untreated. Oftentimes patients notice this because their teeth become overly sensitive, especially to cold food and beverages.
There are many types of bone and tissue replacements from a variety of sources. Depending on what Dr. Bacsa determines would be a proper fit for your needs, he will discuss those options with you prior to the procedure.
If you have missing teeth or know you will need teeth replaced and want to inquire about implants or any of these regenerative procedures, give us a call today to schedule an appointment to meet with Dr. Bacsa.
FAQ
How do I know if I may need gum or bone grafting?
If you have had missing teeth for several months or longer, if you had an infection in the area of concern, or if you had facial trauma that would have caused the teeth to separate from the bone and gum tissue, you will most likely need grafting to support the long term success of meeting your dental needs.
Does the bone grafting process add time to the implant procedure healing?
Yes, it does take time for the bone to generate and grow. This is something that Dr. Bacsa will monitor and stay in communication with you about. The time varies due to your physical health, any medications you are on and home care habits.
Will I be sore after the procedure?
Typically the affected site can be tender for a few days to a week, depending upon how much was done. Often, over the counter pain relievers can effectively aid in the discomfort. Healing time for either gum or tissue grafting is heavily dependent on your overall health, any medications you take and the health of your mouth on the day of your procedure. You will receive custom home care instructions for the quickest path to healing. We do encourage you to stock up on foods that are soft and nutritious such as oatmeal, yogurt, or your favorite flavor of pudding.