You may need bone grafting to fix problems with bones or joints Why Would I Need a Bone Graft? Bone grafting is often needed in preparation for dental implant placement. When dental implants are inserted into your jaw, they need to be surrounded with several millimeters of strong, healthy bone. The bone is essential, so the dental implant can bond or fuse with the bone in a process called osseointegration. Good osseointegration ensures the implant is held firmly in the jaw and has enough strength to support a replacement tooth that could be a crown, bridge, or implant denture. If you don’t have enough bone to place dental implants successfully, you will need dental bone graft surgery. Sometimes, bone grafting is carried out as part of a periodontal treatment plan. Our dentist would place a bone graft to help restore bone around teeth, increasing the chances of saving teeth affected by severe gum disease. How Does Bone Loss Occur? Your teeth are surrounded by alveolar bone that is continually remodeling. As old bone cells die off, they are replaced. Severe gum disease can destroy the bone around your teeth, causing tooth loss. Tooth loss can prevent bone remodeling as your tooth roots provide essential stimulation to the bone around them. Consequently, your jawbone gradually resorbs as old bone cells are no longer renewed. The bone in certain areas of your jaw is naturally thinner and more fragile, and especially near your sinus cavities that are just above your upper back teeth. What Materials are Used for Bone Grafting? There are several types of bone grafts available: Autograft – a bone graft surgery that uses your own bone taken from another site in your body, often the jaw or hip bone. Because the bone is your own, the risk of rejection is eliminated, but you will require another surgical procedure to harvest the bone. Another advantage of using a graft from your own body is that it is living bone, which helps enhance the process of bone regrowth. Allograft – a bone graft taken from a human donor. The bone is thoroughly sterilized and extensively processed by being chemically treated, freeze-dried, or irradiated to ensure it is safe to use. Once in place, the dental bone graft provides a scaffold encouraging your body to produce new bone growth. Xenograft – a bone graft taken from an animal donor, and is usually bovine. The bone is thoroughly sterilized and processed at a very high temperature and undergoes extensive testing to make sure it is safe. Just like an allograft, a xenograft provides a scaffold helping your body to produce new bone growth. Alloplast – a bone graft using a synthetic medium that may contain hydroxyapatite, calcium, and phosphorus. It can also contain proteins and growth factors and collagen. The combination of substances helps to promote new bone growth and faster healing. Synthetic bone is extremely effective and is widely used. When you visit Gentle Dental, we can discuss all possible options for bone grafting procedure with you and will provide you with detailed information so you can make an informed choice. During your appointment, we will also discuss the type of bone graft surgery needed. Read more: https://www.queenssmile.com/periodontics/bone-graft/ Contact Gentle Dental in Queens today to receive more information or to schedule an appointment by calling our office number (718) 461-0100 Working Hours : Monday: 9AM–7PM Tuesday: 9AM–7PM Wednesday: 9AM–7PM Thursday: 9AM–7PM Friday: 9AM–7PM Saturday: 9AM–4PM Sunday: Closed Payment: cash, check, credit cards. Gentle Dental in Queens 35-30 Francis Lewis Blvd, Bayside, NY 11358 (718) 461-0100 (718) 970-7304 Web-address: https://www.queenssmile.com E-mail: info@queenssmile.com Location on the map: https://goo.gl/maps/8gvPR13tEZWAedBw5 https://plus.codes/87G8Q676+FV Bayside Nearby Locations: Bayside | Auburndale | Broadway - Flushing | Clearview | Bay Terrace 11360, 11361, 11364 | 11358 | 11354 | 11359