Bone Grafting

Here at Providence Smiles, we want to help your smile be fully prepared for any intensive oral surgery or treatments it may require. If your jawbone does not provide enough support for your smile, we may recommend a bone grafting in Hillsborough, North Carolina, to help strengthen the base of your smile for restorative procedures. To learn more, please contact us today at 919-732-8179 and set up a visit with our dentist, Dr. Kwame Gyampo.

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure we perform to replace missing or diseased bone in your jawbone. This is done by gathering a piece of bone from another part of your body or your jawbone, known as an autograft. While we see great results in using an autograft, we can also use artificial bone material and bone fragments from a tissue bank to create a bone graft, if necessary, known as an allograft.

After gathering the bone graft, Dr. Kwame Gyampo will place it into the jawbone to encourage regeneration. As the natural bone grows, the grafting material works to restore volume and density to your jawbone to help support a dental restoration.

When Bone Grafting Is Needed
A bone graft is typically recommended when you have significant bone loss in your jawbone and are looking into receiving a dental implant. There are many different factors that can contribute to bone loss such as:

• Untreated gum disease
• A missing or extracted tooth
• Trauma to the jaw
• Age
• Genetic defects
• Other diseases such as oral cancer and osteonecrosis

Even though bone grafts are mostly used for implant dentistry, they can also be required for certain types of periodontal therapy if you have experienced bone loss as a result of gum disease.

Post-Op Care
To ensure you have a safe and healthy recovery, our dentist will review post-op care with you, but here are some basic care instructions you can follow:

• Avoid touching the wound with your fingers and tongue.
• Do not mess with the sutures in the surgical site.
• Do not rinse or spit for 24 hours.
• Apply an ice pack to minimize pain and swelling.
• Stay hydrated and avoid using a straw.
• Eat a diet of soft foods such as yogurt, pudding and slightly warm creamy soups.
• Bite down a gauze pad for 30 minutes if you have excessive bleeding.
• Take any prescribed pain medication as directed.

Have questions about bone grafting? Contact us today at 919-732-8179 to schedule a consultation with our dentist. During your visit, Dr. Kwame Gyampo will carefully examine your jawbone to see if you have any bone loss to determine if a bone graft is the next step for you.

FAQ

What Is Bone Grafting?
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure used to strengthen an area of the jawbone in preparation for other dental procedures. A bone graft is completed by taking bone from one part of the jaw or body and moving it to the target area in the jawbone.

When Is Bone Grafting Needed?
Bone grafting is needed if you have experienced bone loss and are in need of a dental implant or other dental procedure. Bone loss often occurs after a tooth is lost or extracted. Without stimulation from the tooth root, the jawbone will resorb or deteriorate the bone material, leading to a weaker area of the bone. Bone grafting makes your jawbone stronger and more able to support restorative procedures, such as dental implants.

Do I Need to Provide the Bone for a Bone Graft?
While we tend to see best results when using bone from the patient’s own body, it is possible to use artificial bone material or bone fragments from a tissue bank. Talk to our dentist during your consultation to see what option would work best for you.