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Major and Minor bone grafting

Bone grafting is typically performed when there is inadequate bone in the jaw for dental implant placement. Not every patient will need bone grafting. In fact the majority of patients will not need bone grafting prior to dental implant placement. The jaw bone naturally resorbs or “shrinks” to some extent after the loss of one or more teeth. Typically this occurs after several years but in some cases can occur much sooner after the loss of a tooth. Sometimes infection or traumatic injuries can result in significant bone resorption. Fortunately most defects in the jaw bone can be reconstructed with minor or major bone grafting techniques. Most of these grafting procedures can be performed under general anesthesia in our office surgical suite.

Minor Bone Grafting

Minor bone grafting is typically performed to reconstruct small defects in the jaw bone prior to dental implant placement. In some cases minor bone grafting is performed at the time of dental extraction to prevent future bone resorption. This makes subsequent dental implant placement much more predictable. Most minor bone grafting procedures are performed using synthetic bone. This prevents the need for harvesting the patient’s own bone resulting in less discomfort to the patient. In some cases small amounts of natural bone are taken from nearby areas of the patient’s jaw if indicated.

Major Bone Grafting

Major bone grafting is required when there are large defects in the jaw bone usually due to traumatic injuries, removal of cysts or tumors and in some cases after teeth have been missing for many years. In some cases the maxillary sinus floor may need grafting after the removal of molar teeth. Major bone grafts utilize natural bone harvested from the patient. Usual sources of bone include the mandible (lower jaw), iliac crest (hip bone), tibia (lower leg bone) and sometimes the cranium (skull bone). Dr. Ferdowsmakan will discuss the benefits and indications of the different sources of major bone grafting sources and techniques at your consultation appointment.

Sinus Floor Augmentation

Sinus floor augmentation sometimes referred to as “sinus lift” is a predictable method of increasing bone volume in the maxilla (upper jaw) for the placement of dental implants. The maxillary sinus is a norml air-filled cavity in the upper jaw that sometimes expands after the removal of molar teeth. This expansion decreases the amount of bone available for dental implant placement. If this occurs a sinus floor augmentation procedure is performed. During the procedure the thin membrane of the maxillary sinus is gently elevated and bone graft material is placed under this membrane. Depending on the amount of existing bone in the upper jaw dental implants can sometimes be placed simultaneously with the grafting procedure. The bone graft usually requires several months for maturation and eventually will become a part of your own jaw.

Onlay (Veneer) Grafting

Onlay or veneer grafting is employed when the jaw bone is inadequate in width to accommodate dental implants. Bone is typically harvested from either the lower jaw or hip bone and secured to any part of the jaw which requires grafting to increase the width. Once the bone graft has incorporated into the jaw, dental implants may be placed. This usually takes about four to six months to occur.