At Crooke & Laguna we know how confusing it can be to go to a first visit for someone outside the dental world. How many times have you thought you understood the treatment recommended by the doctor but, when you get home, you don’t remember exactly the reasons why you were advised? Our team is aware of how complicated it can be to assimilate so much information in a single appointment, so we have set out to resolve doubts about some of the treatments we offer. So that you understand, in an easy and simple way, what they consist of.
Today’s post is focused on the bone grafting procedure.
What is bone grafting?
Bone grafting is a technique used in patients who need a dental implant but whose bone volume is not sufficient.
It can be performed in a small area of the jawbone to place a single implant; in a larger area for a partial rehabilitation; or in the whole jawbone for cases in which a complete oral rehabilitation is to be performed on 4 or 6 implants.
The surgery begins with an incision in the gum to reach the receptor bone. Next, the graft is added, whose function will be to favor the formation and growth of the patient’s own bone. Finally, it is closed and guidelines will be given for the postoperative period.
There are occasions in which both treatments, i.e. dental implants and bone grafting, can be performed on the same day and others in which it will be necessary to wait a minimum of 4, 9 or 6 months before undergoing implant surgery.
“Recovery time will depend on multiple factors and can range from 4 to 9 months.”
Materials used
There are several options regarding the material used, depending on its origin.
- Autograft: it comes from the patient’s own body.
- Allograft: in this case, the bone used is from a deceased donor and comes from tissue banks.
- Xenograft: it is of animal origin, generally bovine or porcine.
- Alloplastic: this is synthetic bone.
There is no one option better than the other, since all of them have different characteristics. At Crooke & Laguna we carefully evaluate each case and according to that we use the most convenient for our patient.
Make an appointment with your doctor at Crooke & Laguna now
The best thing to do, in any case, is to make an appointment with us so we can advise you on the treatment you need. The sooner you start the process, the sooner you can boast a beautiful and healthy smile.