Bone Grafting 101: Everything You Should Know

Going to the dentist doesn’t always mean that you need treatment for tooth decay. Instead, there are many other dental services that a dentist in 77074 can offer you, all geared to preserve your oral health. One major aspect of dental health is the health of your jawbone. When talking about sustaining a healthy mouth, you cannot overlook the health of your jawbone. As such, your dentist may recommend a procedure called bone grafting in Houston, TX, 77074, as the best measure to preserve the health of your oral cavity.

​What Is Dental Bone Grafting?

It is a surgical procedure performed by oral surgeons to restore the health of the jawbone. When done, bone grafting in Houston elevates the amount of bone in the part of the jaw that is damaged, lost, or simply needs extra support. Although bone grafting in TX is a vital dental procedure, it is not every day that your dentist recommends getting the surgery done. Some of the factors that warrant bine grafting procedure include:

• Further procedures for receiving dental implants – when you need your tooth replaced with dental implants, sometimes bone grafting in 77074 is needed before the implantation process. The idea is to reinforce the strength and health of your jawbone so it is fit to hold a tooth implant.
• As treatment for periodontitis – periodontitis is an infection of the periodontium. Technically, this infection damages the gums only. However, if the infection is left untreated for a long time, it spreads, advances, and worsens. The bacteria thereof begin to damage the bone tissue in your mouth. The deterioration of the bone tissue can make your jawbone unreliable for ensuring the stability of your teeth. Therefore, as part of treatment, bone grafting near you may be necessary to restore the health of your jawbone.
• Developmental malformations – some people have malformations on their jawbones that result from developmental issues. It is often found in children and teenagers.
• For dental trauma – a dental injury or accident can leave your jawbone broken, fractures, or simply bruised. Such damage on your jawbone can deteriorate its health, even after healing from your injury. Bone grafting may help restore the fractured elements of your jawbone.
• Osteoporosis – is a condition that causes the bone to thin out and is common for aging people. The condition causes increased bone loss as you age.

What Does the Process Entail?

The initial step of a bone grafting procedure is sedation. Since this treatment involves surgery, local anesthesia and other sedative medication are used before any dental work begins. This will prove your comfort levels and ensure that the surgery is as painless as possible.

Once the sedative kicks in, your dentist will begin the surgery. Typically, bone grafts are extracted from other parts of your body or a synthetic source. The preferred source of bone grafts, in most cases, is autographs, which feature grafts from your own bones. Examples include the hip, tibia, or back of the jaw. Using bone grafts from your body reduces the cases of tissue rejection after your surgery is completed. The function of the bone graft is to replace any missing bone tissue, which will repair the fractures in your jawbone.

Are There Risks to Bone Grafting Surgeries?

Like with any other type of dental surgery, risks are involved anytime part of your body is cut open to operate. The same applies to dental bone grafting. The risks in such surgeries as these are more prevalent among people who have underlying health issues, like diabetes, than not. Besides, how you take care of your oral cavity after your surgery will affect whether or not you have any complications. For instance, if you continue smoking after your surgery, you risk infecting your wound and slowing down the healing pace. Although it is not guaranteed that you will experience any complications after your surgery, some of the risks associated will bone grafting include the following:

• Infection at the treated site
• Bleeding
• Slow healing
• Rejection of the bone graft – is very rare and tends to happen with bone grafts from sources other than your body