The bone structure of your jaw serves many purposes. One of its primary purposes is to anchor your teeth and provide healthy structure to support your gums. Unfortunately, things like advanced periodontal disease, multiple tooth extractions, and chronic issues with tooth decay can result in a reduction of healthy bone structure in your jaw.
This could have a negative impact on the alignment of your teeth. If you have dentures or a partial it might cause them to secure poorly to your gums and require excessive denture adhesive. However, most bone graft procedures are performed to restore enough bone structure in the jaw to mount one or more dental implants.
At your initial appointment Ideal Smile Dentistry will examine your mouth and jaw to assess the available bone structure. This usually involves taking series of X-rays or performing a CT scan. Be sure to let them know about any medical conditions or medications you are taking.
A bone graft procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis and usually requires deep sedation. You should arrange to have someone drive you and help at home for a while, until you’re back on your feet.
You can choose to have Ideal Smile Dentistry take the bone graft from your chin or a surgical grade cadaver. The surgeon will then create an incision in your gums to expose the jawbone. The bone graft is inserted into place and the gums are sutured closed. Over time your body will naturally fused the graft into your existing bone structure.
Recovery time will vary depending on your age, overall health and quality of aftercare. If you use tobacco it will irritate the gum tissues, which increases recovery time and risk of infection. If you use tobacco regularly, you should talk to your physician about a cessation program.
If you have questions about a bone graft procedure, please call Ideal Smile Dentistry at 706.257.7374 to schedule an appointment.