How Does Diabetes Increase My Risk of Gum Disease?
It’s no secret that diabetes affects your entire body, but did you know it can increase your risk of gum disease? Read on to learn how diabetes can lead to gum disease and how we can help.
Do I Need Bone Grafting?
There’s a reason 3 million Americans have replaced their damaged or missing teeth with dental implants: They’re strong, aesthetically pleasing, and convenient. No more soaking dentures! Experts estimate that this number is growing by half a million each year.
Not everyone is eligible for dental implants, but with advanced products like bone grafting, your implant dreams may be within reach.
If you’re considering joining the ranks of individuals who love their implants, Dr. David Blaustein and our team of providers at Chelsea Dental Aesthetics can help. Dr. Blaustein is an implantologist specialist serving the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City.
In this guide, we cover what bone grafting is and how it can help you achieve your goal of receiving a dental implant.
Understanding implants
If you’re considering a dental implant, you need to have plenty of adequate jawbone, which is at the heart of a strong, sturdy implant. Implants are made of three components:
- A titanium post
- An abutment that connects the post to the crown
- A dental crown, or prosthetic tooth
The post is surgically implanted into your jawbone. Through a process called osseointegration, your bone and the titanium post fuse together. It’s this process that makes implants so ideal. It also means that you need enough healthy bone.
When you don’t have enough healthy bone … what happens?
Even if you don’t have enough healthy bone, you’re not out of luck. It’s possible to still receive a dental implant thanks to bone grafting.
A bone graft is a surgical procedure that increases both the volume and density of your jawbone by using transplanted bone. Transplanted bone can come from many sources, including your own body (such as your chin), a type of bone graft called an autograft.
There are other types of grafting material too. For example, a xenograft is bovine or porcine bone graft material, and an allograft is donated bone material.
Bone grafts can be performed:
- During your extraction
- As a standalone procedure (if your extraction occurred years ago)
- During implant placement
Dr. Blaustein considers your unique needs and oral health before recommending a timeline for your bone graft and implant placement.
While it’s convenient to have the bone graft and implant placed at the same time, sometimes they must be performed separately. (It can take several months for bones to heal properly.)
Reasons you need a bone graft
To recap: If you don’t have enough bone — in terms of volume and density — you need a bone graft. Situations that could lead to inadequate bone volume and density include:
- Your tooth was extracted years ago and bone atrophy has occurred
- Your bony ridge is thin and can’t support an implant
- Your sinus cavities are large and extend into the proposed implant area
If your sinus cavities are too large, your bone graft may be part of a sinus grafting procedure. During this procedure, Dr. Blaustein lifts your sinus cavities and adds the appropriate bone grafting material.
Replace your missing teeth and get the smile of your dreams
If you’re contemplating your options for replacing a missing tooth, bridges and dentures aren’t your only options. Dental implants can enhance the form and function of your mouth with an easy-to-care-for prosthetic.
At Chelsea Dental Aesthetics, we’re happy to help you achieve your goal of a dental implant. To learn more about your implant and bone grafting options, give our Manhattan office a call at 917-633-7312 or book your appointment online.
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