Bone grafting is a surgical procedure used to restore or augment bone tissue in areas where it is deficient or has been lost. It involves transplanting bone or bone-like materials to promote new bone growth and provide structural support.
At Cortez Dental, we perform bone grafting when there is insufficient bone volume or quality to support a dental implant or when bone loss has occurred due to periodontal disease, trauma, tooth extraction, or long-term tooth loss. The goal of bone grafting is to sufficiently enhance the density and quality of bone in the treatment area, providing a stable base for implant placement and improving the long-term success of the implant.
Autogenous Graft
This type is taken from your body and transplanted to the treatment area. It may not require synthetic materials because the grafted bone comes from your body.
Allograft
This type is taken from another human donor. Each allograft is sterilized and processed for a surgical procedure like bone grafting.
Xenograft
This type of graft is made from animal bone. These grafts can repair facial deformities due to trauma or congenital defects.
We can perform bone grafting on one or more teeth at one time. Before we begin the process, we will administer anesthetics and sedation as needed to ensure your comfort. Once you are ready, we will use a specialized drill to create pockets in your gums. Then we’ll insert a small piece of the donor's bone into the pockets we created. The graft helps stimulate new bone growth and helps your body naturally heal. We will also use sutures to help secure the graft into place.
After placing grafts in your mouth, you will rest while the implants fuse with your jawbone. This process will take place over three to six months, depending on the type of graft we use. After this time, you will return to our office for a follow-up appointment so we can check the healing and integration process of your dental implants.
Once we are satisfied that the implants are successfully fusing with the jawbone, we can begin attaching crowns or bridges to your implants. This second phase of treatment can take anywhere from four to six weeks to complete. However, with proper care and regular oral hygiene appointments, you can enjoy a lifetime of beautiful and functional smiles!
Bone grafting is often used for patients who lack sufficient bone mass in the jaw to support dental implants. It can also repair jawbones damaged by gum disease, injury, tumor resection, cysts, or infection. For the best dental care, visit Cortez Dental at 43 W. Montezuma Ave., Cortez, CO 81321, or call (970) 565-9569.