A bone graft is a serious surgery usually performed when infection has spread beyond the dental roots. Your dentist will have to perform a bone graft in cases where there isn’t enough bone to position a dental implant on. These require a set amount of bone in order to make them totally stable. When this isn’t apparent, either due to naturally small jaws or through infection or periodontal disease, your dentist will have to have extra bone added to the area.
Your dentist and surgeon will want to use your own bone for a graft, usually they will try to take it from your chin or the back part of your jaw. The hip or shin can also be used although not preferred and is usually used in instances where the graft needed is large.
If you don’t want to have the bone taken from your body then substitutes can be used either from human donors or from cows. These are not preferable as sometimes they are rejected, but can be used in some instances.
Bone isn’t necessarily essential, instead you could have a synthetic material added instead.
You will be fully consulted and made aware of the procedure by your surgeon before anything happens. The options available to you will be discussed and you can agree upon which form of implant or graft you wish to have.
Your dentist will provide you with information on how to make a speedy recovery from a bone graft. Pain killers and antibiotics will be prescribed to you along with an antiseptic mouthwash.
Fixtures such as braces or dentures can’t be worn while you are healing. It might be a month or so until reapplying these can be possible.You may have to wear a specially made dental bridge or retainer to ensure that the area is protected.
Depending on the severity of the graft it will take 6 to 12 months to heal completely, and after this time you can have the implant fitted. After this time you will also be able to have the screws removed.
Infection is a risk of any procedure that punctures the skin. If caught early an infection can be easily treated with antibiotics but otherwise can cause serious health problems.
There is always the chance that the bone will be rejected by your body. This isn’t as common as having organs rejected and usually only occurs due to an infection or because the bone is loose. If this happens you can have another graft put in place at a later date.
Bone grafting sometimes requires a general anaesthetic and an overnight stay in hospital, if the graft is particularly large. This runs its own risks, as a general anaesthetic can prove problematic for some people.
In order to minimize the risks of bone grafting it is essential that you follow the advice of your surgeon and dentist and ensure that you do everything you can to lead a healthy lifestyle. Smoking can seriously affect your recovery.
Generally bone grafts are a successful surgery and can seriously improve the stability of a dental implant. This in turn has major benefits including aesthetic values, less risk of gum disease or cavities and better occlusion. Although it might take a while to totally recovery, the risks are few and the results are worth it.