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Bone Grafting
Major & Minor Bone Grafting
Missing teeth over a period of time can cause your jaw bone to atrophy, or resorb. This often results in poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for the placement of dental implants as well as long term shifting of remaining teeth and changes to facial structure. Most patients, in these situations, are not candidates for dental implants.
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Fortunately, today we have the ability to grow bone where it is needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, but it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.
Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease, or injuries. While some bone grafting is done using the patient's own bone, oftentimes the bone is augmented using processed bone harvested from animals (usually cows). This bovine bone has all the organic materials removed, is sterilized, and is made up of only the bone's mineral content. For larger grafts, Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) may be added to improve the success and predictability of the procedure. PRF bone graft is a surgical procedure that uses a concentrated mixture of platelets, fibrin, and growth factors from a patient's own blood to promote bone regeneration. Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum to protect the bone graft, as well as encourage bone regeneration.
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