Bone Grafting

Major & Minor Bone Grafting

Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for placement of dental implants.

Today, we have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

Major Bone Grafting

Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. The bone can be obtained from a tissue bank, your own bone can be taken from the jaw or hip, or you may be eligible for synthetic grafting. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.

Major bone grafts are typically performed to repair defects of the jaws. These defects may arise as a result of traumatic injuries, tumor surgery, or congenital defects. Please note that Dr. Grant, Fontanesi, or Poidmore will review all possible bone grafting options with you to help develop the most conservative and appropriate treatment plan.

Sinus Lift Procedure

The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. Sinuses are like empty rooms that have nothing in them. Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone.

There is a solution and it’s called a sinus graft or sinus lift. The oral and maxillofacial surgeon enters the sinus from where the upper teeth used to be. The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and donor bone is inserted into the floor of the sinus. Keep in mind that the floor of the sinus is the roof of the upper jaw. After several months of healing, the bone becomes part of the patient’s jaw and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone.

The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing loose dentures.

If enough bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus is available to stabilize the implant well, sinus augmentations and implant placement can sometimes be performed as a single procedure. If not enough bone is available, the sinus augmentation will have to be performed first, then the graft will have to mature for several months, depending upon the type of graft material used. Once the graft has matured, the implants can be placed.

Ridge Expansion

In severe cases, the ridge has been reabsorbed and a bone graft is placed to increase ridge height and/or width. This is a technique used to restore the lost bone dimension when the jaw ridge gets too thin to place conventional implants. In this procedure, the bony ridge of the jaw is literally expanded by mechanical means. Bone graft material can be placed and matured for a few months before placing the implant.

INFUSE® Bone Graft

INFUSE® Bone graft has been indicated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)) as a synthetic alternative to autogenous bone graft (using bone from your own body such as the jaw or hip) for sinus lifts and alveolar ridge augmentations. Also referred to as rhBMP-2, INFUSE® is becoming much more common to use among patients needing bone grafting, as it eliminates the need for a second surgery to “harvest” or surgically remove bone from your body for placement at the oral surgery site.

INFUSE® Bone graft consists of two parts: a protein that is found in everyone’s body and a natural carrier for delivery. The protein ingredient is rhBMP-2 (recombinant (engineered) human bone morphogenetic protein-2), a synthetic version of a protein that everbody’s body naturally produces in small amounts to regulate bone growth and healing. It releases protein over time where it is placed, provides a scaffold (framework) for new bone to grow into, and is absorbed and replaced by bone. INFUSE® Bone graft gives you the choice for growing bone where it is needed for the support of dental implants and/or dental restorations.

INFUSE® Bone Graft:

• Provides proven, predictable bone formation
• Offers proven safety benefits over autogenous bone
• Is supported by extensive research and clinical results
• Help the body heal naturally