What are dental implants?
Dental implants are titanium posts that are planted in the bone of the jaw. Because titanium naturally works in harmony with bone, this allows new cells to grow and adhere to the surface of the dental implant. This unique ability allows the bone and implant to fuse together, creating a strong, durable connection.
Implants are permanent, strong and esthetic solutions for missing teeth.
What is a bone graft?
It is a procedure to build the bone in the area of the missing tooth in order to make it strong enough to create a solid base for the implant.
Isn’t my natural jawbone strong enough?
The main purpose of the jawbone is to anchor the teeth in place. Our body constantly deposits calcium and other minerals to the jawbone to maintain strong structural support. The body uses a perfect signal system: the root of the teeth create pressure which is recorded by fine receptors in the jawbone. These receptors send the information to the brain, which in turn, orders more calcium and minerals to be deposited in the bone. If a tooth is lost, the stimulation is eliminated and calcium stops from depositing in that area. As a result the bone starts to shrink. In the first year after tooth removal, 25% of the bone is lost and only gets worst from there.
On top of that we need to remove teeth typically due to infection in which the bacteria and its toxins eat up the bone surrounding the teeth. This is known as periodontal disease and often more than one tooth is involved.
Other times infection from decay seeps through the canal, located in the middle of the tooth, and ends up at the bone area, creating a cyst.
How do we determine if a bone graft is needed?
Thanks to the available technologies and 3D x-rays, we can evaluate bone and teeth density along with the thickness of the jawbone, and determine if the remaining bone is strong enough to accommodate and retain an implant.
3D x-rays or CT imaging capture and compile multiple x-ray images to form a precise 3D model of the oral cavity, showing the specific location of nerves, blood vessels and sinus cavities. We can measure the exact width and height of your jawbone and estimate how much, if any, bone grafting is actually needed.
In conclusion: Bone grafting is not always necessary before implant placement if the remaining bone is thick enough to completely surround the implant. However, If you are planning to replace your tooth with an implant, share that with your dentist before you have the tooth removed, since there are certain procedures that can prevent or limit the amount of bone loss, called ridge preservation procedures.