Dental Implants

Bone Grafts for Dental Implants

You are considering dental implants to replace missing teeth but you are concerned because you may need a bone graft.

You understand the numerous benefits, but when the dentist mentioned that you might need a bone graft, you started having second thoughts. Additional surgery for the sake of implants makes it sound like a much more complicated ordeal. It is, however, a very common procedure.

Why would you need a bone graft prior to implants?

Dental implants are basically titanium root replacements that are inserted into the jaw. As the bone heals and incorporates those root replacements, you have a good, solid foundation for securing a restorative tooth that will look and feel natural. In order to set that implant, however, the dentist must have an adequate structure of existing bone. In some people, the bone is simply too narrow and/or shallow to provide a stable foundation for implants. As well, in some cases the original bone might have been suitable for an implant, but disease or decay, probably starting with infection from the teeth that were lost or removed, has weakened the bone so that it is unable to support an implant. Part of Dr. Scharf’s expertise is in determining if you have adequate bone for dental implants. Through both a clinical examination and a 3 dimensional dentascan using the I=Cat machine, he will make this determination.

The good news is that problems or insufficiencies in the underlying bone structure do not automatically eliminate you as a candidate for dental implants. With modern bone regeneration techniques, you can still benefit from the superior qualities of dental implants over dentures or removable bridges.

There are several options for building up enough bone to support implants.

A bone graft is a way of building up your existing bone so that it can provide a suitable base for implants. The bone in your jaw can be stimulated to grow either through natural or synthetic means. Your dentist will be able to help you determine the best method of bone grafting for your specific case. Some alternatives might be one or a combination of the following:

  1. Collecting bone from your own mouth as the implant site is prepared and reusing that bone for grafting purposes. This is the simplest method of bone grafting and can be done from the dental chair.
  2. Synthetic materials are sometimes used to simulate bone growth or your own blood factors can be used to help promote growth or accelerate the process.
  3. In cases where the top jaw above the back teeth has insufficient bone for holding implants, the sinuses are lifted and bone is inserted into the sinus chambers to grow enough structure to secure dental implants.
  4. Sterile human bone from a tissue bank can be used instead of your own bone. This has several advantages. First and foremost the bone is sterile and treated in such a way that you cannot catch any disease from the bone nor can your body reject the bone. In fact, there have been millions and millions of these types of bone grafts since the 1970’s and there has never once been a case of disease transmission. The advantage of banked bone is that there is no second surgical site opened on you to harvest the bone. In addition, it is available in unlimited quantities.

The goal in each of these cases is to help the patient grow new and healthy bone tissue that will support the dental implant procedure.

How much time does a bone graft add to the overall time it takes to complete implants?

In general, you can expect dental implants to take 8-12 weeks to complete. The standard process involves setting the implants and giving them time to incorporate into the bone, placing a temporary crown to allow the gums to create or hold a natural space for the replacement tooth, and finally, the setting of the restorative replacement. If you are one of those patients who need a bone graft for a successful implant to take place, you are obviously adding another step to the process. The time this will extend your overall treatment will vary depending on the method used, the extent of the bone grafting needed, and the overall state of your oral health and health in general. In general a small bone graft may only add 12 weeks to the overall treatment time. A larger graft may add up to 9 months of additional healing.

What you need to remember is that time invested now in a quality and extremely durable t method for replacing missing teeth, is likely time you will not have to spend later having dentures refit and adjusted or replacing bridges which only have a life expectancy of 7-10 years on average.

As well, by building and repairing bone for the replacement of missing teeth, you are likely creating a better environment for any remaining teeth to thrive in. Replacing bottom teeth through bone grafts and dental implants, for instance, may save the top aligning teeth and give you many more years of using them pain free.

Dr. Scharf is an expert as bone grafting. In fact, many dentists who are beginners at dental implants often ask Dr. Scharf to do their patient’s bone grafts so that implants can be placed. Dr. Scharf teaches advanced bone grafting at New York University College of Dentistry and had lectured nationally and internationally on this topic.

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