Have you heard of dental bone grafting? Let me explain what it is
Today, I want to talk to you about another topic in dentistry that may be unknown to many of you, at least under this designation.
However, those who have implants may have already undergone a bone graft, as this is a procedure that may be necessary in order to allow the placement of dental implants. Let me explain more about what this is.
What is dental bone grafting?
It’s easy to explain what bone grafting is and what it’s used for. Whenever we lose a tooth, if it is not quickly replaced, our body will begin to resorb the bone that supported the tooth, which, being absent, no longer serves a function, and the body understands that this bone is no longer necessary.
Thus, the alveolar bone is resorbed, and if you wish to place a dental implant, a bone graft may be necessary, so that we have bone around the entire implant, allowing the mouth to recover its functions and the smile its aesthetics.
How does the process work?
After performing a CBCT or CT scan, we can confirm whether we have enough bone for implant placement and whether we need to perform a bone graft.
Although it may seem a bit complex and intimidating, bone grafting is actually very simple nowadays. Basically, we can use the patient’s own bone or particulate bovine bone for this. The procedure is typically performed in the office, and local anesthesia is sufficient. For more complex cases, it may be necessary to harvest bone from outside the mouth, such as from the iliac crest, fibula, or cranial vault, and the surgery will need to be done in a hospital setting under general anesthesia, which also involves a more complicated post-operative recovery.
In order to place and ensure dental implants are fixed, they need to have bone support all around them. Hence, grafts may be needed when the existing bone is insufficient, and we need to compensate for bone loss in height and thickness.
However, it is important to emphasize that bone grafting is not always a prerequisite for placing dental implants, as the existing bone may be sufficient.
Therefore, it is essential to have a good evaluation consultation with your dentist.
What are the types of dental bone grafts?
There are several types of bone grafts, which are used based on the patient’s needs. The most common in implantology are autografts and xenografts, the latter being of bovine origin. As I mentioned earlier, most of these can be performed in the office with local anesthesia, while others need to be done in the hospital under general anesthesia.
Bone grafts can have the following designations:
- Autograft – uses bone from the patient’s own body, from intraoral or extraoral sites;
- Xenograft – uses bone from another species, such as bovine or porcine;
- Allograft – a graft taken from another individual genetically identical to the receptor species. An example is cadaveric bone;
- Alloplastic – produced in a laboratory with synthetic materials such as ceramics or hydroxyapatite;
Why is there dental bone loss?
There are many possible causes for dental bone loss, with the most common being tooth loss. However, there are other possible reasons, such as aging, poor oral hygiene, or diseases like periodontitis. Tobacco also promotes bone loss, and grafts are even not recommended in such patients. There are also individual variables that favor the maintenance or resorption of bone.
Surgical Aspects
The specialist must open the area that will receive the graft. Then, it will be placed, either along with or without the dental implant, until the area is closed and sutured.
If the implant is not placed, we may need to wait 4 to 6 months before proceeding with it.
Medical discharge is immediate, although it is important to monitor the patient during the following months to ensure that bone regeneration is progressing as expected.
What are the post-operative care instructions?
Bone regeneration after a graft should occur from 4 to 12 months following the procedure. To accelerate the recovery process, it is important to take some specific precautions in the days following the procedure, such as:
- Take the prescribed medication;
- Use cold compresses;
- Maintain good oral hygiene;
- Prefer cold foods and liquids;
- Rest;
- Avoid sun exposure;
- Do not smoke, at least during the entire healing process (6 months).
What are the associated costs?
The price of a dental bone graft can vary depending on many aspects, such as the area of the mouth being treated, as well as the width and height of the bone graft needed.
Therefore, I always recommend scheduling an evaluation consultation to first assess the need for a bone graft and then analyze the conditions for its procedure.
Has any of you had a bone graft? How did the procedure and recovery go? Share your experience!
