Dental bone grafting is used when you experience bone loss to your jaw. It is a surgical procedure that allows your bone to regenerate. Bone grafts have several uses in dentistry. They are sometimes used to save teeth when a person has periodontal disease. When teeth are at risk for being lost due to this disease, a bone graft helps regenerate the bone around the loose teeth. This helps support the bone so the teeth can stay in place. Grafts are also used for tooth extractions. A graft is inserted into the socket of the extracted tooth, which will help with the bone support, in case you choose to get dental implants at a later time. Dental implants may also require the use of a bone graft. In order to get dental implants, there needs to be a sufficient amount of healthy bone, so if you have experienced bone loss, the graft helps regenerate the bone to hold the dental implants.
The bone grafting procedure can be done with local anesthesia (oral or intravenous) so you do not experience discomfort and pain during the process. A small incision is made in your gum tissue so the bone can be exposed, and the graft can be attached. The recovery process can be different for everyone, but most people typically feel sore after the surgery. Pain can be managed by anti-inflammatory medications found over the counter or prescribed medications by your doctor. In addition, ice therapy can help alleviate some of the soreness or pain as well. The pain and soreness should not last longer than a few days, so be sure to talk to your doctor if this is not the case for you. Your body will replace the graft with your actual bone over the course of a few months following the surgery and your bone should regenerate.
If you are dealing with lost bone density or lacking bone development within your jaw, we suggest contacting our offices located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Here, one of our amazing team members will help you schedule an appointment to speak with Dr. Lopez.
