What Is Bone Grafting?

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure in dentistry that helps promote jaw health. Ideally, bone grafting in Houston helps restore deteriorating jawbone that may eventually compromise teeth and gum health.

What Happens During a Bone Grafting Procedure?

A bone grafting procedure entails placing new bone tissue in the affected area of the jawbone to foster the osseointegration process. The goal of this process is to allow the body to heal itself by integrating the new bone tissue into the old one to form a healthy jawbone.

First, your dentist has to harvest a bone graft from your body. It happens in a different part of your mouth or the body. Alternatively, you can receive a synthetic bone graft or one from a human donor.

The dentist will make a small cut on your gums to expose the bone tissue underneath. Afterward, he will identify the thinning portion of the jawbone for restoration. Then the dentist will place the bone graft in the socket of the lost tooth, then cover it with mesh tissue. The last part of the treatment entails suturing the gums to cover the jawbone and prompt the healing process.

Is A Bone Graft Painful?

Technically, every surgical procedure will introduce a level of pain in your mouth. Fortunately, you will not feel any discomfort or pain during a bone grafting procedure thanks to anesthesia and sedation dentistry.

They are medications that numb your mouth and keep you relaxed and calm during your surgical procedure.

Besides, after your treatment, the dentist will prescribe pain medicine to help you suppress the discomfort during the first few days of recovery.

What Are the Benefits of Bone Grafting?

Bone grafting near you is a necessary surgical procedure for restoring your oral health. Some of the benefits of getting a bone graft at Southwest Dental are:

1. Promoting jaw health – the bone tissue disintegrates due to inactivity after you lose a tooth. Bone grafting surgery restores the health of the jawbone to prevent tissue loss.
2. Allows for permanent tooth replacement – a weak jawbone disqualifies you from tooth replacement with dental implants. Therefore, getting a bone graft can restore your jaw health so you can qualify for a tooth replacement with dental implants.
3. Fostering gum health – usually, as the bone tissue disintegrates, the gums recede. Therefore, an unhealthy jawbone easily translates to unhealthy gums.
4. Improves facial structure – losing teeth directly impacts your facial appearance, causing you to look droopy and wrinkly. Restoring the jawbone promotes a healthy jawline that consequently boosts your facial appearance. You will have even better results when you get dental implants to replace the lost teeth.
5. Preventing future tooth loss – over time, the weakening of the jawbone results in tooth loss. The adjacent teeth continue to lose support as the jawbone disintegrates and the gum tissue recedes. Eventually, they will weaken and become shaky, lowering oral functionality. Instead of risking losing the rest of your natural teeth, consider bone grafting treatment to restore your oral health.

When Is It Ideal to Get A Bone Graft?

Anyone can undergo bone grafting surgery at their preferred time in life. However, at Mi Casa Dental, we also encourage our patients to undergo treatment soon after tooth extraction. It minimizes the repetitive invasion of the different procedures involved during the period. Therefore, instead of a tooth extraction and bone grafting surgery happening as different procedures, you can go through the process on the same day. We recommend this mode of treatment to patients who desire to replace their lost teeth sooner than later.

Besides, bone grafting surgery is necessary for patients that have suffered an advanced level of gum disease. This oral infection spreads significantly in your mouth, damaging the gums and bone tissue. Our dental team often recommends bone grafting as one of the treatment protocols for periodontitis.

Conclusion

Although bone grafting is an invasive surgical procedure, it is necessary for promoting oral health. A healthy jawbone almost always translates to a healthy mouth. If you have further questions about the treatment, visit a dentist near you for more information.