Many adults lose teeth during their adult lifespan. In fact, 75% of adults over 50 have lost at least one tooth. If it has been some time since you have lost a tooth, you may need a bone graft before you get implanted teeth. Not sure what a bone graft is? Here is some information about what bone grafts are and why you might need a bone graft.
What Are Bone Grafts?
Bone grafts are pieces of actual bone that can be placed in your body to encourage more bone growth. Bone grafts can be used in many places where your body needs an additional bone. In dentistry, bone grafts are often used to make sure that implanted teeth have enough bone to be stable.
Implanted teeth have a post or a screw made of metal that hooks into your jawbone. If you don't have enough jawbone, the implant will not be stable. Bone grafts encourage bone growth, making your jawbone strong enough to accept an implant. If you need a bone graft, dentists can use a piece of your bone, a donated bone, or a piece of animal bone.
Do I Need A Graft?
There are several ways your dentist will be able to tell if you need a bone graft or not. First, x-rays may show that your jawbone needs additional bone to support an implant. Also, the dentist may use cameras to determine the strength of your jawbone. Dentists can sometimes tell whether your jawbone is sturdy through an oral examination as well.
When you first begin to talk to the dentist about the possibility of implants, they will also have a conversation with you about a bone graft. Be sure to ask whether your jaw is strong enough to support implanted teeth or if a bone graft will be necessary.
Dental Blog | Optimum Oral Surgery Group At Optimum Oral Surgery Group, Dr. Donald G. Rebhun has created this informative blog to help educate the community. Read the dental blog posts here. Optimum Oral Surgery, 21 E Main Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057 + (856) 437-4432 + optimumoralsurgery.com + 6/6/2023 + Page Terms:oral surgeon Moorestown Voorhees Mullica Hill +
Many adults lose teeth during their adult lifespan. In fact, 75% of adults over 50 have lost at least one tooth. If it has been some time since you have lost a tooth, you may need a bone graft before you get implanted teeth. Not sure what a bone graft is? Here is some information about what bone grafts are and why you might need a bone graft.