What Is Bone Grafting?
San Diego Dental Implants - Dr. Roya Mirkhan
In many cases a dentist will need to increase the amount of bone in a patient's jaw. With the recent developments in science and technology, implant treatment has been made possible in cases where it wasn't possible a few years ago.
Bone grafting can be grouped into two categories:
- The first category is always done as a separate surgery from the implant placement. This type of bone graft is for making larger changes to the size and shape of the dental ridge so that a stable implant can be placed, typically several months later. These procedures are usually performed by specialists such as oral surgeons or periodontists.
- With the second category, the jaw already has enough bone to place the implant, but not enough bone to cover the sides of the implant. These types of bone grafts are generally small and are performed at the time of implant placement.
Find out if bone grafting is right for you. Contact our San Diego dental office to set up a consultation with Dr. Roya Mirkhan!
Q. Where does the grafted bone come from?
A. Bone graft materials can come from several different sources. Some of
the most common include your own bone, human bone from a tissue bank,
and processed animal bones. There are also alternative options, such as
mineral bone substitute.
Dr. Roya Mirkhan also utilizes Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMP) at, near or adjacent to dental implants where bone volume is too low and augmentation is needed. BMPs are naturally occurring factors that stimulate cellular growth, which means that bone grafting – as well as bone harvesting from other parts of the body – may not be necessary.
Q. Which bone graft material is the most effective?
A. While there are many options available, typically, the most effective bone graft material will be your own natural bone. Why? Your body will accept this much more easily than other graft materials. If this option is not available or not your preference, you can also consider freeze dried human bone or processed animal bone. If neither of these options work for you, mineral bon substitute is also considered an effective option. Find out if bone grafting is right for you!
The safest and most desirable bone grafting material comes from your own body. By drilling the jawbone for implant placement, it naturally produces bone shavings. When these shavings are collected and used as grafting materials, they produce the most optimum results. However, in cases of larger grafts, surgical procedures can be performed to harvest additional bone from other places of the body.