What is a bone graft?
A bone graft can involve taking your own bone from one area of your mouth and placing it in another area. It can also involve using donor bone material and placing it in an area of your mouth where you're missing bone.
Is a bone graft a painful process?
Most of the time, patients tolerate it well. If we take a tooth out and want to preserve the bone where the tooth was, we usually use donor bone. There is no additional site where we have to take bone from to correct the bone defect from the extraction. By using donor bone, which is basically a material that comes in a bottle, we fill the space where the tooth was, and it doesn't require an additional donor site.
After the extraction, you can have some level of discomfort or pain that can often be managed with medications like ibuprofen and Tylenol. Starting the next day, the pain usually goes down, although you might still need pain medication.
If we do a more involved bone graft, let's say you have a missing tooth and need quite a bit of bone prior to implant placement, we may use your own bone. We go to a different area of your mouth, which is usually near where the wisdom teeth are, take bone from that area, and move it where the bone is missing. This procedure is slightly more involved, and as a result, you can experience more discomfort. We may prescribe medications to help manage pain and swelling. Most of the time, patients do really well after that procedure.
How long does a bone graft take to heal before placing an implant?
On average, it's about three to four months. If it's an extraction and we use donor bone, three to four months is typically the time we wait before evaluating the area for implant placement. If we use your own bone with the newer techniques that we have today, we may be able to place the implant after about three months of healing. The exact timing depends on how the area heals.
Can you get a bone graft and a dental implant at the same time?
Absolutely, in some situations. You may have enough bone to place an implant but still not have enough bone to recreate the proper gum contour so you can have a crown with proper anatomy and reduce issues like food getting trapped around it. What we can do is place the implant and, at the same time, do a bone graft either with your own bone or with donor bone. That helps recreate some of the bone volume that has been lost.
What can you eat after a bone graft procedure?
It's a soft diet. It's not a liquid diet. You can eat scrambled eggs, omelets, cottage cheese, oatmeal, ground beef, and ground chicken. Basically, don't eat anything crunchy. No potato chips, popcorn, nuts, or fruits with small seeds.
For the first couple of days after the graft, we often recommend things like smoothies and protein shakes because they're easier to consume while the area is healing. You should follow the specific postoperative instructions you're given based on your procedure.
What are the risks and complications of a bone graft?
One risk is that the bone graft does not integrate as intended and may need additional treatment. You can potentially have an infection as well. Depending on the procedure and the patient's needs, antibiotics may be prescribed. Overall, bone grafting is a predictable procedure in appropriate cases, and in my experience, we see relatively few complications.
How successful are dental bone grafts?
Overall, they're very successful and predictable in appropriate cases. When we take a tooth out and do a bone graft at the time of extraction, we rarely encounter problems, and we're often able to move forward with dental implant placement after the graft has healed.
The same applies when we're using your own bone. It's a predictable procedure, and with the experience that I have after 20 years of practice, I've seen very few complications following bone grafts.
What happens if you don't get a bone graft after a tooth extraction?
What we don't know when we take a tooth out is exactly how much bone resorption you will have. Bone loss can occur following an extraction, and if you decide later on that you want an implant, there may not be enough bone for straightforward implant placement.
If additional bone is needed at that point, you may need a different or more involved type of bone graft, such as one using your own bone. This can be a more involved and costly procedure compared with doing a bone graft at the time of extraction. If your dentist, oral surgeon, or periodontist recommends a bone graft, I would suggest discussing the reasons for that recommendation and how it relates to your future treatment plan.
How much bone loss is needed before a bone graft is recommended?
I frequently recommend a bone graft when a tooth is removed and preserving the area for future implant placement is important. The goal is to maintain as much bone as possible and potentially reduce the need for additional procedures later.
This can be especially important in the cosmetic area where the teeth show when you smile. We want to minimize changes in the bone and gum tissue following the extraction. Maintaining that tissue can be important for future implant placement and for the aesthetic outcome of the crown that will eventually be placed on the implant.
At Ravon Dental, you come first. Whether you need dental care or simply have questions, call us at (310) 275-5325 or email [email protected] to schedule your visit. Our team is here to help you every step of the way.