Bone and soft tissue grafting may sound like intimidating procedures, but it’s not as scary as it sounds.
Bone Grafting
Think of your bones as a living, moving and fluid thing (because they are). Your body is constantly changing and your bones are no exception!
When it comes to the bones that are part of your mouth’s structure the constant changing and movement can either be a positive process or one that causes damage and discomfort. An example of a good result of this adaptability of bone is how an orthodontist can gradually move your teeth with the aid of braces for a beautiful smile! On the other hand, your bones can negatively move out of position or experience loss after losing a tooth or as a result of gum disease.
This bone loss in the structure of the mouth can be restored by an experienced oral surgeon through a procedure called a bone graft. During an oral bone graft, the doctor will remove a section of bone from another part of the body, or through the use of a bone bank, and graft or surgically transplant it into the area of your jaw or mouth that requires more support.
Once the bone graft has been completed, you’ll need to wait a few months for the bone graft to ‘take’ or create enough new bone and grow into a strong foundation stable enough for the implant to be successful.
The goal of a bone graft at the oral surgeon is to create a strong dental structure for your new dental implants.
Soft Tissue Grafting
Soft tissue grafting is another procedure that we offer as an option to correct gum recession. Typically it’s a quick and simple procedure where your doctor will take a piece of healthy gum tissue from the roof of your mouth, or from a tissue bank, and place it in a problem area to build your gums back up where they have receded from the tooth. This is often done as a way to protect your teeth from further damage and to rebuild your smile.