Some dental issues may cause severe damage to your teeth, including the bone and to some point lead to bone loss. When it happens, your jaws might be in danger which may also disorient your face and affect the proper functioning of your oral system. If you have experienced bone loss due to gum disease or any other oral condition, you might consider seeing a specialist for bone grafts in The Woodlands. Oral Facial Surgery Specialists at The Woodlands offer extensive bone graft care to restore your jaw and promote your dental health. Call their office today or book your consultation online.
Here is what you need to know about bone grafts:
What Are Bone Grafts?
Bone grafts are bone parts added where the bone has been lost in your mouth or requires support. Dr. Muniz uses bone grafting to rebuild a damaged bone or support an artificial tooth.
The bone grafting procedure involves your provider making a small cut in your gums and then adding the grafting materials to the worn-out bone. Grafting materials are easy to apply and include gel, putty, and powder.
Before the procedure, your provider offers sedation to prevent pain during your treatment. During recovery, your body starts developing new bone, which replaces the graft material over some time.
The board-certified and maxillofacial surgeons at Oral Facial Surgery Specialists at The Woodlands are experts in bone grafts and guarantee quality and genuine care.
When Do You Need a Bone Graft?
You may require a bone graft for various reasons, such as:
- To support a dental implant.
- Restoring bone loss.
- Replacing some bone structure after a tooth extraction.
- To rebuild a tooth after a crack or fracture.
Types of Bone Grafts
Bone grafts come in different forms depending on their source of materials. During your consultation with Oral Facial Surgery Specialists at The Woodlands, Dr. Muniz gives the pros and cons of every type to allow you to make the best choice. They include:
Autogenous
Also known as an autograft. This type of bone graft comes from your body, including your skull, the back of your jaw, hip or chin, and lower leg bone. Autogenous bone grafts are preferable for they have living cellular components enhancing bone growth.
Allogenic
Allogenic, also known as allograft, originates from a human donor. Your doctor sterilizes and treats your bone material before placing it in your mouth.
Xenogenic
This type of bone graft is from a nonhuman donor, usually from a cow or pig.
Alloplasts
These are grafts from synthetic materials, like calcium phosphate.
Bone regeneration may take longer in allogenic and xenogenic compared to autografts. Grafts composites and bone morphogenetic proteins may also act as bone graft substitutes.
In conclusion, bone grafts provide support to an implant and add bone materials to your jaw. You may need a bone graft when having a dental implant for missing teeth, after bone loss due to gum disease, and even after losing your teeth. The procedure occurs under anesthesia to minimize pain. You may require to use ice packs after the procedure to reduce pain.
To learn more about bone grafting, call Oral Facial Surgery Specialists at The Woodlands today to schedule your consultation.