Choosing a tooth implant to replace a missing tooth is a choice that will give you a natural-looking, long-lasting, complete smile. If you need a bone graft before your implant, you might have to wait for a few weeks for the graft to heal before your implant is actually put into place.
Do I Need a Bone Graft?
Before you have dental implants placed, you will consult with your implant dentist and periodontist about what must be done before you can have your implants set into place. This can involve treatment for gum disease, discontinuing certain drugs, smoking cessation, or other issues to increase the likelihood of a successful procedure.
One issue to discuss is whether you need a bone graft to support your implants. Because a tooth implant is placed directly in the jawbone, it needs sufficient bone to hold it in place. If the bone of your jaw cannot support an implant, a bone graft might be necessary.
Bone Grafting to Support Implants
A bone graft is performed before the implant procedure to provide sufficient bone mass to anchor your implant. Bone can be harvested from elsewhere on your body, or the bone graft can be accomplished with cadaver bone.
After the bone grafting procedure, you will need to recover for a time. The bone graft must bond to your existing jawbone before it can accept an implant. As with other types of tissue transplants, it is possible for your body to reject the bone, or for the new tissue to die, causing the transplant to fail.
The healing interval to ensure the bone graft has been successful is usually several weeks. After the graft has healed sufficiently, you can move on to the next phase, in which your implants are set into place in your jawbone. After healing from this procedure, prosthetic teeth are placed on the implants and you will have a new, perfect smile.
Contact the office of Dr. Brad Crump at 214-443-0876 to reserve your appointment today.
