Dental Implants May Require Soft Tissue or Bone Grafts

Categories: Dental Implants

Gush Etzion, Beit Shemesh And Jerusalem: Sometimes Dental Implants Require GraftsSometimes patients are confused when they meet with a dental implant dentist to discuss receiving an implant and the dentist starts talking about many procedures that don’t have anything to do with the dental implant itself.  Because your doctor has placed many implants, he understands the bigger picture. He knows when certain tissue grafts must be made to avoid unaesthetic outcomes or even worse—nerve damage.  The blog post today will discuss why soft tissue and bone grafts are sometimes necessary for great dental implant outcomes.

Bone Graft: When a tooth is extracted, the bone that had previously supported it begins to shrink. During the first 3-6 months after a tooth is missing, the most rapid loss of bone occurs. This is why it is important to get a dental implant as soon as possible. The ideal situation doesn’t always occur though, and that is why bone grafts are such a great procedure. Sometimes the bone shrinks so much that there isn’t enough bone to let the implant get a good anchor or avoid damaging nerves. Often the bone used for the graft can be harvested from other areas in the mouth.

Soft Tissue Graft: As discussed above, when a tooth is missing, the bone shrinks and so does the soft tissue that once surrounded the tooth. Most patients wouldn’t be happy with a tooth that floated in the middle of their mouth with no gum tissue surrounding it. Aesthetically, this can be a terrible outcome, more so if the implant is for one of your upper front teeth. These tissue grafts can also usually be harvested from other areas in the mouth.

Dental Implants can at times be complicated and need the thorough planning of an oral surgeon. Dobro Dental Implants is focused on bringing you well-rounded care and helping avoid any less-than-desirable outcomes.  Please contact us today and let us help you with your dental implant choice.