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Dental implants can restore both your smile and bite strength. However, not every jaw is strong enough to support implants, which is why oral surgeons use bone grafts. Find out more about dental bone grafting below to determine if it might be necessary for your implant process.

What Is a Dental Bone Graft? 

Dental implants are false teeth that use anchors to hold them in place. The anchors are embedded into the jawbone to offer the same strength of natural teeth.

A bone graft may be necessary for people whose jawbone isn’t dense enough to hold anchors in place or is missing portions because of injury or disease. The graft can come from your natural bone taken elsewhere in the body or a substitute.

No matter the material used, the jawbone graft will need to heal and affix itself properly before an implant can be placed. The force from chewing can dislodge an implant that isn’t anchored in solid bone. 

What Is the Procedure Like? 

dental implantsDuring the graft appointment, you’ll be given general anesthesia. The oral surgeon will then open the gums to gauge how much bone to transfer. If they use your bone for the process, they’ll also make an incision in the donation site and collect the graft material.

The graft will be placed in the jaw, after which the oral surgeon will stitch the gums. The healing process can take upwards of nine months to complete before the dental implant can be placed. 

 

If you’re interested in dental implants and wondering if you’ll need a bone graft, consult Oral Surgery Associates of Alaska in Anchorage. The board-certified, compassionate oral surgeons will make sure you feel comfortable throughout the entire process. They also provide other oral surgery services to help restore your smile and natural bite, which you can explore on their website. Call (907) 561-1430 to make an appointment today.

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