Copyright © PBHS 2006

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Bone loss and deficiencies in the soft tissues of the mouth can be attributed to tooth loss, trauma, or a pathological process that destroys the bone or soft tissue of the jaws.  Over time areas in the mouth that are missing teeth tend to shrink or atrophy.  This lack of quality and quantity of bone and/or soft tissue can make it difficult to place dental implants and also make it difficult for your restorative dentist to construct a crown or denture prosthesis that is functional and esthetically pleasing.

Copyright © PBHS 2006

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The surgeons at Associates for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery have extensive training in bone and soft tissue grafting procedures.  These techniques allow our surgeons to grow bone and soft tissue in areas of your mouth that may be deficient.  This allows us to place the proper length and width of implant, which provides you with optimal function and esthetics. Our surgeons work closely with your restorative dentist to come up with a treatment plan that will fit your needs.

Our surgeons also do bone grafting for patients with alveolar clefts (clefts in the tooth-bearing area of the jaw bone), patients that have lost bone and teeth due to trauma, and reconstruction of bone defects due to infections of the bone, or other pathological processes i.e. cysts or tumors.  Bone can be taken from various parts of the body depending on the amount and type of bone that is needed.  These areas include:

The most common need for bone grafting is typically in patients that are interested in dental implants.  Some patients may have inadequate bone width or bone height.  These patients may be candidates for Ridge Augmentation.  This is a technique where a block of bone is taken from either the chin or back of the jaw and grafted to the deficient area to help increase bone width or height.  The bone is taken from inside the mouth so there are no facial scars.  Another common procedure that is done for implant placement is the Sinus Lift.  This is a procedure where the sinus membrane is lifted and a bone graft, usually bone marrow mixed with a synthetic graft material, is packed underneath the sinus membrane to increase the height of bone in the back of the upper jaws.  The shin bone can sometimes be used as a source of marrow for this procedure.  These procedures are performed in our office under I.V. sedation or general anesthesia.

Any type of extensive grafting where bone may need to be harvested from the front or back of the hip is done in a hospital setting.  Our doctors can also help with the reconstruction of soft tissue defects by using grafts from the roof of your mouth, the palate, to help with the health and esthetics around implants.  They can also use skin grafts or synthetic soft tissue grafts to help with the stability of dentures or help with scarring in the mouth due to trauma.

Our doctors also use a substance called Platelet Rich Plasma in conjunction with bone and soft tissue grafting for dental implants.  Platelet Rich Plasma is derived from the patient’s own blood.  Prior to surgery a small amount of blood is drawn from the patient and spun down in a centrifuge.  This isolates the platelets and growth factors that are important in wound healing, and allows the surgeon to incorporate them into the graft.  This helps accelerate the healing time and allows for better quality of bone and soft tissue to be formed.  Platelet Rich Plasma also minimizes the amount of post–operative discomfort.  Patients are asked not to take any type of anti-inflammatory medication such as, aspirin, Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, and NSAIDS, 10 – 14 days prior to surgery.  These medications can affect the platelets and alter the Platelet Rich Plasma, making it ineffective.

If you are interested in dental implants, but have been told you have insufficient bone, please contact our office to schedule an implant consultation to see if you are a candidate for bone or soft tissue grafting.  Our grafting techniques have allowed many patients to obtain more confidence in their smiles and lead happier and healthier lives.