Dental Implant Bone Grafting in Chatham MA

What does bone grafting do?

Bone Grafting in dentistry is a procedure that helps regenerate or build up bone in the jaw. The main purpose is to replace or restore lost bone in the jaw to provide a strong foundation for dental implants or support surrounding teeth. 

When it’s needed: 

1. After tooth loss- Bone begins to shrink (resorb) where teeth are missing
2. Before or during implant placement- To ensure there’s enough bone to anchor the implant securely 
3. After periodontal disease- To rebuild bone damaged by infection
4. Following trauma or injury- To repair defects or fractures in the jaw

Lateral Sinus Lift

The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks, on top of the upper teeth. They are hollow cavities in your bone. Sometimes roots to the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these teeth are removed, there is often just an egg shell thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental Implants need bone to hold them in place, so a very thin sinus wall may need reinforcement.

One solution is called a sinus graft or lateral sinus lift. Dr. Sporborg can enter the sinus from the side above where the upper teeth used to be. The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and bone graft material is placed in the space under the lifted membrane. After several months of healing the bone graft becomes part of the patient’s jaw and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in the new sinus bone. 

This type of graft makes it possible for many patients with low bone levels to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing loose-fitting dentures.

Guided Tissue Regeneration

Soft tissue, such as gum tissue, grows very fast while bone grows very slowly. When a surgical hole is created by your dentist, soft tissue blocks out the bone from growing into the hole. When bone is needed in an area to place dental implants, uncontrolled gum tissue growth is a problem. A membrane barrier can be used to cover the surgical site and block out the gum tissue from growing into the area. This allows the more slowly growing bone to fill the surgical hole without any competition. Because the bone regenerates in the surgical hole, the technique is called guided tissue regeneration.

Guided tissue regeneration can be used to repair defects around previously placed dental implants or to create additional bone in deficient areas before placing dental implants. The surgical hole can be filled with several different types of grafting materials before covering the area with a protective membrane barrier.