With the help of dental bone grafts, the jaw can be repaired in places where a tooth once was or where there has been bone loss. For many who are in need of getting a bone graft at Gentle Dentistry in Tampa, Florida, it is the first step needed to prepare for a dental implant. Bone grafts can come from several sources, including other areas of the mouth, and synthetic or sterile bone matter from other sources.
Why Would You Need a Bone Graft?
A very common consequence of losing one or multiple teeth is bone loss. When you lose a tooth, it is incredibly common to lose as much as 25 percent of bone mass in the area of that missing tooth within the span of a year. When teeth and bone are lost, you can suddenly appear much older than you really are, making a bone graft and tooth replacement important for both your appearance and oral health.
Dental implants are considered the “gold standard” of tooth replacement options. However, if you wait too long to receive a dental implant after losing a tooth, you may have already lost too much bone to support the implant. If this is the case, a bone graft will be necessary to replace that missing bone. In a best-case scenario, scheduling a dental implant appointment following a tooth extraction is best to ensure that the bone matter is preserved.
Bone Graft and Dental Implant Placement
When you elect for a bone graft with immediate dental implant placement, the implant and bone will be placed either by an oral surgeon or a periodontist, which Drs. Rasmussen and Del Cueto will refer you to. The surgical site will require sufficient time to heal before the implant is ready for a crown or other tooth replacement option, such as an implant denture. Following a bone graft, it usually takes three to six months for a complete recovery.
Call Us Today!
To learn more about bone grafts, please visit our team at Gentle Dentistry in Tampa, Florida. To schedule a consultation, please call (813) 734-7102.
